


Aishiteru

by LadyDorian



Category: Generator Rex
Genre: Anal Sex, Drama, Frottage, Humor, M/M, Masturbation, Oral Sex, Rimming, Romance, Slash, Yaoi
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-12-26
Updated: 2012-12-26
Packaged: 2017-11-22 12:50:05
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Underage
Chapters: 7
Words: 27,054
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/609997
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LadyDorian/pseuds/LadyDorian
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>What seemed like a silly crush quickly spirals into a passionate affair. Why is Six so powerless against Rex's advances? Could it be the ache of physical loneliness? Or something even more frightening?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. One

**One.**

_How many nights have I spent shrouded in this fog of sweat and saliva?_

The young man beneath me writhes like a wild animal in heat, demanding more. Blunt fingernails clawing at my back, legs clamping down on my waist, ass tightening around my cock—he won’t be satisfied until he’s fucked raw.

“Six…” he pleads through ragged breaths, “ahh…harder…”

 Such a spoiled child.

But I’ve no one to blame for this but myself. Because I always give him whatever he wants. Because each time I try to protest, my voice simply forgets how to say _NO_.

***

 

“I think Rex has a crush on me.”

Holiday spun around in her chair and flashed a playful smile. “Really? I never saw that coming.”

I regarded her with a stern gaze. “And what is that supposed to mean?”

“Oh, nothing really. It’s just that you—I mean, you’re...” she stumbled over her words for a moment before giving up. “Why are you telling me this, anyway?”

“Because…I don’t know how to deal with it.”

She gave a quick laugh. “Come on, Six! You mean you never had an older crush when you were his age?”

I answered with a raise of my eyebrow.

“Oh-kay…so…” There were no other techs in the lab, yet Holiday spoke in a hushed voice. “What gives you the idea that Rex has a crush on you in the first place?”

“Don’t you think he’s been acting strange lately?”

“Not to my knowledge.” She gestured to the bank of computers behind her. “I monitor Rex’s biometrics every so often, and I’ve seen nothing alarming.”

Of course Holiday would be the type to immediately turn to charts and equations when presented with a question involving human nature. “I don’t think it’s a _medical_ problem...But haven’t you noticed he’s a little more...” I skimmed my brain for the appropriate term, “...affectionate toward me?”

“Oh,” she smirked. “You mean the hugs?”

“Actually, I believe _‘glomp’_ is the popular terminology.” I tried to subdue the flash of heat that would rise to my face each time I thought of Rex’s new-found habit of maniacally throwing his arms around me whenever we met. To have him so close to me, to feel him bury his face in my chest as he squeezed tightly, without mercy... “It’s a little awkward,” I confessed.

“Well, if you don’t like it, then say something to him. Or do one of your evasive ninja maneuvers or flying kicks or whatever it is that you like to do. It’s not like the two of you are strangers to violence.”

I wasn’t about to explain to Holiday that the first time I tried to employ my “evasive ninja maneuver,” Rex quickly doubled back and gave me a sharp pinch on the ass. At that point, I was too stunned to even attempt a flying kick. “With all due respect, Doctor, I’d expect you of all people to realize that violence probably isn’t the best solution to this problem.”

Her heels kicked at the floor, causing the chair to pivot back and forth. She stared at me for a few seconds, then shrugged. “What exactly did you want me to say? That some EVO got into his brain and rearranged his neurons? Or maybe that he’s just having a sexual identity crisis? The most sophisticated equipment in Providence couldn’t tell me what was going on inside that boy’s head. I don’t know—just write it off as teenage hormones.”

“‘Teenage hormones?’ Is that your scientific answer?”

Holiday sighed, shaking her head. “Just go talk with him, Six; try to relate to him. Tell him you know what it’s like to be a confused, pubescent teenage—”

“—Let’s not go there,” I cut in.

“Fine, Mr. Calm and Collected,” she swept a loose strand of black hair behind her ear, “I’m sure you’ll figure it out.”

“Of course.” I forced a wan smile and turned to leave just as the morning shift of technicians began to file in.

 

I had barely been out of the lab for five minutes when I spotted Rex approaching from the far end of the hallway. “Hey, SIX!” He waved and sprinted toward me, weaving through crowds of wandering Providence agents. There was no escape; my only option was to brace for impact.

We connected with a crash; I staggered backwards a few feet, struggling to adjust my center of gravity to accommodate the weight of the boy hanging around my neck. “Man, am I glad to see you!”

His arms twisted around me like a python. “I can tell.”

Rex released me from his death-grip, but kept one gloved hand on my shoulder. “Breakfast is crap here. Wanna spring for pancakes?”

“Sorry, Rex, but I’m busy right now.” I gingerly removed his hand.

“How about dinner, then? We could go to Burger Hut or Taco Noche.”

“Actually, I...” I fought through my anxiety. “There _is_ something I was hoping to discuss with you later tonight…privately.”

The instant those words left my mouth, Rex’s face lit up like a kid’s on Christmas morning. “Really?!”

I shot him an inquisitive stare.

“I mean, um…sure, no problem.” He lowered his voice and tried to put on a suave expression, but it just seemed silly to me. “Just stop by my room whenever. I’ve got nothing better to do today.”

“I’m sure Holiday would love to hear you talk that way about her daily exams,” I teased.

Rex’s eyes darted around for a clock; I rolled up my left sleeve and flashed him my green and black Seiko. “Ah, crap! I’m late! C’mon, Rex, get it together!” He rubbed his face vigorously with both hands, then calmly exhaled. “Ok. I’m cool. So…” he winked, “You got yourself a _date_ , Six. I’ll be waiting for you tonight.” With that, he sprang down the hall in the direction of the lab.

As I turned and watched him gradually disappear, I unconsciously touched my right shoulder, remembering the warmth of his hand pressed against it. I sighed, “Why couldn’t it have been the EVO brain parasite?”

 

Though I performed my scheduled duties with the utmost care and precision, my mind was preoccupied by thoughts of my impending “date” with Rex. I needed to come up with a battle plan. Fighting EVOs was cut and dry, but _this_ …this would take time and concentration.

Holiday had told me I should try to relate to Rex—to invent some common ground between us in order to quell his raging emotions with sympathy. She knew the two of us were polar opposites; I’m sure she expected nothing less than some façade on my part. But in reality, there was another side of me—one I refused to reveal to anyone.

I really did sympathize with Rex. In his eyes I saw the desires of my younger self, the memories of all the men I’d lusted after: fellow mercenaries, my former partner, White Knight, countless Providence agents. But those for whom I’d felt something deeper than physical attraction had never returned my subtle advances or simply hadn’t noticed them. I recalled all the nights spent seeking out a warm body to fill the void; picking up strangers in bars, fucking and getting fucked by men whose names I didn’t know and didn’t care to know. Though my body was sated with the pleasure it craved, the loneliness persisted. I was unsure if love had simply evaded me, or if the concept had even existed in the first place. Eventually, the throbbing emptiness grew so unbearable that I gave up on relationships entirely.

It should have been easy to tell Rex to back off; I had spurned many others before him. But for some reason, I found it hard to even think of rejecting him. Maybe I just didn’t want to upset his fragile teenage emotions.

Or maybe I just didn’t want him to end up like me.

 

It was just past ten when I knocked on Rex’s door. The hall was dim and deserted, most agents having returned to their quarters or settled in for the night shift. After receiving no response, I knocked a second time. I could’ve easily opened it with my passcode, but I was somewhat apprehensive about what might be lurking beyond.

I then heard Rex’s muffled voice behind the thick metal, accompanied by a frenzied shuffling of feet. “Just a sec!” The door slid open. “Hey, Six! C’mon in!” He was wearing his favorite blue and white shirt, and a loose-fitting pair of lounge pants. He looked a lot more comfortable in this situation than I was.

I tried to steel my nerves as I stepped past him and into the room. _It’s just Rex,_ I told myself. _It’s not like you haven’t been able to deal with his childish emotions before_. But there was something about this situation that alarmed me. This was the bedroom of a seventeen-year-old boy—more accurately, it was _Rex’s_ room—which meant piles of dirty laundry, scattered half-empty pizza boxes, and the occasional stack of comic books. However, the scene before me was eerily pristine; there wasn’t so much as a sock lying around. It was as hypnotizing as watching a lava lamp.

I was jolted out of my reverie by the familiar _fwwwsh_ of the door closing behind me. “Um, Six? You just gonna stand there all night?”

“S-sorry, I—uh,” I stammered, still trying to shake off my initial shock. I spun around to face him, hoping he hadn’t noticed my brief moment of vulnerability. But the boy in front of me was as cheerfully oblivious as always.

“Well, make yourself at home.” He strolled over to the bed and casually flopped down, making a gesture for me to follow suit. “C’mon, Six, _mi casa es su casa_ , y’know?” Rex sighed, covering his face with his hands. “Ah, crap, that sounded so lame. God, I suck at this.”

“What’s that?” I approached slowly, and perched myself beside him on the very edge of the bed. He was shaking his head and muttering, “ _Get it together, Rex_ ,” along with some indecipherable Spanish phrases. For a moment I considered just asking Holiday to give him some drugs to make him normal. Wasn’t that what they usually did to hormonal teenagers? Just toss the kid a bottle of Prozac with the instructions _Take two pills daily until age 25_. Clean and simple.

Rex quickly snapped out of his faux-epileptic fit and, with a slight quiver in his voice, asked, “So, um, you wanted to talk to me about something?” He narrowed his eyes. “It’s not something stupid like battle tactics or protocol crap, is it?”

Not that I considered those two subjects to be insignificant, but I had other thoughts clouding my mind at the moment. “No, Rex, I wanted to...” _To what? Talk about our feelings? Share a male-bonding moment while playing the bongos in front of a campfire in the Petting Zoo?_ I was grasping at straws; I could barely speak—couldn’t even look at the boy next to me. I absentmindedly gazed at my surroundings, hoping the words would come to me. But all I could manage was “…I like what you’ve done with the place.” I caught the faintest whiff of lemon in the air. “Did you _clean_?”

He laughed and waived a dismissive hand. “Yeah, I kinda got tired of it smelling like Bobo’s feet all the time.”

“And where _is_ the monkey?”

“I unlocked the storage hold for him, told him a fresh shipment of bananas just came in. He’ll be digging through crates all night.” That sly little smile returned to his face. “We’re completely alone, so say whatever you want, Six. ‘Cause I know you didn’t come here just to admire my housekeeping skills.”

There was no way out; Rex was closing in both mentally and physically. I barely noticed his steady creeping until I felt our knees brush against one another. It was imperative that I chose my next words carefully. “Rex, I...I know how you feel...about me...” His smile only deepened; his eyes gave the impression of a blushing, lovestruck fool. When I glanced down, I noticed his fingertips grazing the end of my tie.

My heart pounded against my will as I struggled to maintain my composure. He smoothed his thumb over the black, silken fabric; I could visualize that hand snaking its way up to my chest, my collar, my neck. I felt as if I was suffocating. “Look, I under...I understand...and I want you to—”

But I never got the chance to finish. The moment I raised my head, Rex lunged forward and roughly pressed his lips against mine. That split second I spent bewildered by the irrational display of “teenage hormones” was all the time Rex needed; he placed one hand on the back of my head and the other on my shoulder, pulling himself closer, nearly on top of me. Between the added weight of Rex’s body and my fiercely quivering muscles, it was impossible to maintain my already precarious position on the bed. In an instant, the two of us went tumbling to the floor, the young EVO’s body still glued to mine.

“Rex—” I tried to protest, but that only gave him greater access to my mouth. He slipped his tongue inside, hastily wiggling it around in an attempt to locate my own. His were the sloppy kisses of youth: hot and messy, like a dog lapping at its bowl. I closed my eyes and let the wet appendage probe freely; it traced the inside of my cheek, ran across the back of my teeth, and flicked against the very tip of my tongue. Despite Rex’s inexperienced ministrations, I felt a slow wave of heat spreading throughout my body, causing my limbs to tingle and my cock to swell with longing. I moaned into his mouth, hoping he would back off long enough for me to regain control and extricate myself from this increasingly uncomfortable situation.

Rex took the cue and pulled his lips away; at the same time, his hands reached up and pushed the green tinted shades off of my face. Without the emerald haze obscuring my vision, I was able to take full notice of the deep coffee-colored eyes staring back at me. They pulsed with such greedy desire, I could almost feel them devouring my thoughts, leaving me helpless yet again.

“Mmmmm...” Rex hummed as he flashed me a crooked smile. He bent his head down and hastily licked at my lips before planting a wet kiss on the corner of my mouth. He then traveled lower, kissing and nibbling on the narrow tuft of hair below my bottom lip, trailing his tongue along my chin, the underside of my jaw. Rex’s gentle touch grew more passionate as he licked and sucked at my neck, dragging his teeth across the tender flesh. I tried to quiet my arousal as best I could as Rex worked over one of my most sensitive areas, unconsciously tilting my head back to allow him to sweep his tongue from my collar up to my chin. I could silence my cries, shield my carnal desires, but there was little I could do to hide my straining erection.

Rex must have felt this, because he suddenly began to grind his hips into mine, our hard cocks rubbing against one another through multiple layers of fabric. The friction against my crotch was enough to make my toes curl; at the same time, Rex was making love to my throat with his eager tongue. The pleasures I had long forgotten were threatening to push me to delirium.

My mind shouted at me to move. It ticked off all the reasons why I should put a stop to this very, very wrong tryst: _I worked with this boy. I trained him. I’ve been his mentor for years. I’m old enough to be his father._ I knew all of this was true, yet my arms were paralyzed at my sides, and all my words dissolved into ragged gasps and incomprehensible grunts.

Rex showed no signs of stopping. He had already stripped off my tie, and at the moment was fumbling at the buttons of my shirt. After a fair amount of tugging, his shaking hands finally forced them open. Rex sat back to admire his prize, running his palms over the taut muscles of my chest, stroking the sparse curls between my pecs. His thumbs found my nipples and started turning little circles over them; I gasped as I felt the electric sensation shoot down to my already aching cock.

“Ahhhh...Six...” he breathed, before lowering his mouth to suck on one of the hardened nubs. He teased it mercilessly—sucking and biting, gently flicking his tongue across the very tip.  The other nipple he took between his thumb and forefinger, rolling it around until it became fully erect. As Rex moved to switch sides, he slid his hand down to my belt, unbuckling it. My cock pleaded with him to hurry up, straining for release as he slowly unzipped my fly.

His fingers crept beneath the elastic of my underwear, briefly tangling in the thick patch of pubic hair before finally coming to rest on the base of my cock. He moved to my balls first, massaging the velvety flesh in his palm. I gave up on holding back my voice, moaning loud enough to hear the echoes bouncing throughout the room. Rex clamped his mouth over mine as he continued his caresses, working my shaft with long, languid strokes. He ran his thumb over my leaking slit, smearing the warm, sticky precum across the head. I could barely believe that this kid—who probably knew nothing of sex outside of those awful Spanish soap operas he watched—was about to bring the sixth most dangerous man on the planet to a screaming orgasm.

Suddenly, Rex groaned, jerking his body away from me and yanking his hand from my throbbing member. In one swift motion, he pulled down both my pants and underwear, then hastily removed his own. I tried to prop myself up for a better view, but Rex was immediately on top of me, grinding our dripping cocks together. The heat between our bodies was enough to melt me.

Rex’s hands were everywhere, moving with swift fluidity; they clasped my shoulders, cradled my face, as his tongue dove deep into my mouth. His hips increased their pace, pressing harder, using our sweat as a lubricant. The waves of pleasure heightened with each thrust until they reached their peak. I let out a low growl as my cock erupted with such intensity, it caused my entire body to spasm.

Our stomachs were slick with my semen. Rex sat up and stripped off his damp shirt before continuing to rub against me, seeking out his own release. His eyes were tinged with lust and desperation. I gazed into them intently as I felt his erect cock slide across my lower body.

“Ahhnn…Six…Six…” He was moaning my name with such abandon; I couldn’t help but feel a twinge of excitement deep inside. Though I was numb and exhausted from my orgasm, I managed to lift my hand and place it against the small of his back. I gently stroked the flesh there, snaking my way down to his smooth, firm ass. His muscles tensed as I squeezed the supple globe in my large palm; his cock twitched as I spread his cheeks and nestled my index finger inside his warm crack.

“Six… _ahnnnn_ …I’m gonna…” Rex threw his head back when he climaxed, ropes of hot cum streaming across my abdomen. He collapsed on top of me, burying his face in my neck as he struggled to catch his breath. I quietly gazed up at the ceiling, my mind trying to make sense of the events that had just occurred. It would’ve been easier to cope with the aftermath of a wet dream, but the boy sprawled across my chest was all too real. His flesh quivered beneath my fingertips, and his semen mingled with my own. There was no argument to justify my actions. I was guilty as sin.

Once his breathing had somewhat stabilized, Rex rolled onto the floor beside me. I turned my head and watched him lay there—eyes staring into dead space, lips slightly parted—his face a blank canvas.

What was I supposed to say to him? What would happen the next time we met? I wasn’t sure I could even be around him without the memory of tonight constantly looming over me.

_Why the hell did I have to act so irrationally?_

“Hey, Six?” Rex’s voice sliced through the silence that enveloped us.

I didn’t know what to expect—an awkward apology, maybe? An embarrassing explanation? Whatever my brain had in mind, nothing could have prepared me for the words he next spoke.

“Six,” he breathed, “next time… _Let’s fuck._ ”

 

[[end of chapter one]]


	2. Two

**Two.**

“So, did you and Rex have fun last night?”

The question pierced the air of the East Wing lounge, drowning out the early morning banter of drowsy Providence agents. A lesser man would've jumped out of his skin at that comment; I, however, simply dropped my mug, splattering coffee across the pristine, white countertop. “ _W-what?!_ ”

Holiday eased up beside me, snatching a handful of paper towels from a roll above the sink. “A bit jumpy today, aren't we? Everything OK?” She mopped up the dark puddles while I stood by like a silent fool, attempting to will my mind out of its daze.

“I...I didn't get much sleep last night.” _That_ was an understatement.

She turned and placed a hand against my forehead, the strong smell of coffee wafting into my nostrils. “Well, you don't have a fever. You're not feeling dizzy or lightheaded?”

“I'm fine.” I fiddled with my collar, hoping that all the hickeys and bite marks Rex had left were well-concealed. I highly doubted a woman as intelligent as Holiday would believe I'd obtained them from a late-night battle with a face-sucking EVO. Though that scenario wasn't too far from the truth. “I just need some caffeine,” I explained.

Holiday smirked, her hand slinking down the front of my shirt. “Don't you think you've had enough already?” Her long fingertips brushed across several damp brown spots.

I frowned. Between Rex's raging hormones and my frayed nerves, I was burning through suits like paper. I took a cautious step backwards, away from her cloying grasp; the last thing I needed right now was another coworker coming on to me. Fuck, throw Callan in and I could've started my own Providence harem. I grumbled at my own thoughts and turned to pour myself another cup of coffee.

“Well, then...” Holiday breathed a soft _“hrrrm”—_ her trademark sign of annoyance. She pulled a mug from the overhead cabinet. My ears caught the faint sound of sugar packets being torn open. “I heard you and Rex spent some 'man time' together.”

For the second time in less than ten minutes, I came deathly close to creating another java-related disaster. This woman had one hell of a way with words. I snatched several packets of sugar from the plastic bins by the coffeemaker and placed them beside my mug before passing her the pot.

“You know,” Holiday continued, as she slowly dispensed the coffee, stirring it with a red straw, “Rex was so excited about seeing you yesterday. He just kept going on about the two of you hanging out and doing 'guy things.' I could barely get him to shut up long enough to stick a thermometer in his mouth.” She brought the steaming mug to her lips, blowing on the surface a few times before taking a small sip. “I'm guessing you had that little discussion with him.” Her lips curled into a smile. “Am I right?”

“You could say that.” I couldn't exactly tell her about our “frot fest,” as Rex had called it.

“And? Did the two of you settle things?”

“We...came to an agreement.” _We even shook on it—with our cocks._

“See?” Her eyes gleamed as she placed a hand on my shoulder and gave a gentle pat. “I knew you could handle it.” She took another sip of coffee, simultaneously checking her watch. “Well, I better get to the lab now. I've got some numbers to crunch before Rex shows up for his morning exam.” Holiday turned and began walking away, the sound of her boots echoing in the small kitchenette. “See you later, Six.” She waved her goodbye as she quickly exited the room.

“Likewise,” I muttered under my breath. _Yes, I did a great job of “handling” Rex last night_ , I thought. _Now what the hell am I going to do?_ Asking Holiday for advice was out of the question now. She was like a mother to Rex, and I was fairly certain mothers didn't like hearing other people talking about fucking their children. I pushed up my tinted shades with one hand and massaged the ache that was steadily growing in my temples. From this point on, things could only get more complicated.

I sighed, raising my mug for a drink. The coffee hit the back of my throat like a bittersweet poison. A grimace crept across my lips as I hastily lowered the mug. In my daze, I had unconsciously added too much sugar. I poured the liquid down the sink and started over.

 

After briefly thinking things through, I decided to “handle” my Rex situation the way I dealt with every other aspect of my life: with an air of calm professionalism. Yet as the morning ticked by, my resolve began to crumble. The prospect of running into Rex brought back memories of the previous night: the awkward touches; the intense orgasm; Rex tossing me a shirt so I could clean up; the way I'd clumsily dressed myself before stumbling back to my room in a post-coital coma. Though I'd showered twice, I swore I could still feel his cum coating my abdomen. Part of me wanted to spend the entire night jerking off to that memory, touching all the places Rex had, imagining something warmer than his hand on my cock. I was able to subdue my urges, but I feared my strength might not hold out. I decided my best bet would be to avoid Rex at all costs.

This, however, was no easy feat. Though Rex had matured to an extent that my “nanny” services were no longer necessary, the two of us were still technically partners, and therefore we were together on a daily basis. Between mandatory staff meetings, training sessions, missions, EVO-bashing and the occasional “family” dinners, there was virtually no escaping him. But I sure as hell was going to try.

I spent most of that day stealing cautiously through rooms and hallways. I turned off my COM link for a while and hid out in my Jump Jet. I weeded the garden in the Petting Zoo. I accompanied lesser Providence agents on missions deemed too insignificant for the bigger guns. I even had milk and cookies with White Knight (snickerdoodles for him, chocolate chip for myself). My cowardly self was actually doing a pretty good job.

I ran into Rex only once, as I was heading to the cafeteria for dinner. He was walking in the opposite direction with Bobo and his best friend Noah, planning to sneak off base without permission, most likely. Noah caught sight of me first; he elbowed Rex in the side and shot him a concerned look. Rex saw me approaching and leaned in to say something to his friend. As we grew closer, he waved and smiled. “Hey, Six! We were just going out for some pizza. You're cool with that, right?”

“That's fine,” I nodded. I had long since stopped caring where Rex spent his evenings, provided they weren't spent chasing me. “Just try to make it back by your curfew, or White will give me an earful.” With that, I hurried along down the hall.

“Hey, Six!” I felt Rex's hands on my arm before I even had the chance to turn around. I tried to avoid eye contact, but there was something about his gaze that drew me in; it was the same sultry glance that I'd noticed the night before. He pulled me closer, whispering into my ear, “I should be back by ten. Come by my room then, OK? I'll be waiting for you.” He released his grip, gave a playful wink, then ran back to his waiting companions.

My throat went dry. The words “ _Let's fuck”_ echoed in my head. I highly doubted Rex wanted to meet up to have an innocent conversation. How long could I keep resisting before my conscience broke down completely? How long could I continue this shameful running away?

“ _Let's fuck.”_

“Shit,” I grumbled, dragging my feet back to my room. I’d suddenly lost my appetite.

 

By the time I checked the clock, it was nearly 2AM. My eyes throbbed from hours of staring at the miniscule text on the papers laid out before me. After pacing around my room for some time, I’d rushed to White’s office to request some extra “busy” work. He’d delegated several hundred employee review forms to me, with a friendly reminder not to overwork myself. I immediately took the forms to the smallest lounge on base and furiously set upon them, desperate for something—anything—to keep my mind occupied.

My fingers crept beneath my sunglasses and I attempted to rub the weariness from my eyes. I’d completely forgotten how boring filling out paperwork could be. Every so often, I leaned back in my seat to glance at my surroundings, hoping to notice something new and exciting. But it was the same old gray room, with the same old tables and chairs, the same old kitchenette, and the same old refrigerator in the corner. I sighed, tapping the table in rhythm with the ticking of the clock above the door.

It was unreasonable to stay here, hidden like a scared child. My body screamed for sleep, but I simply couldn’t bring myself to move. I couldn’t shake the feeling that something terrible was waiting for me out there beyond the safety of this room. I rubbed my eyes again—harder—and turned back to my work.

That’s when I heard the door open.

“What the hell, Six?” Rex stormed in, stopping at the table across from me. He was wearing a plain white shirt and a ridiculous pair of red boxers with motorcycles on them. His voice came out in an angry, high-pitched squeal. “I waited for you all night, and you—you stood me up for _paperwork_?!”

“I’ve been busy, Rex.” I put on my calmest façade and pretended to be engrossed in the half-completed forms. “I’ve been working for hours, and I’m not in the mood to argue with you.”

“What kind of lame-ass excuse is that?! We had a _date_ , for fuck’s sake!”

I stopped writing and glared up at him. His arms were crossed, and his face was seething with rage. After everything _he’d_ done last night, I couldn’t believe he had the audacity to be angry with _me_. His perspective was ass-backwards. “I don’t recall making any such plans with you,” I sneered, staring him down from behind the protection of my green shades.

My response only seemed to ignite his ire. “Really? What the hell did you think ‘stop by my room’ meant? _Augh!!!_ ” Rex threw his hands in the air; there was a low, mechanical _whirrr_ , and instantly they turned into large, metal fists. “You left your communicator and tracker in your room; it was damn near impossible to find you. I’m so pissed off I could smash something!”

I kept silent, eyeing him coolly. Rex could threaten me with violence all he wanted; fighting, unlike flirting, had always come naturally to me. “If you break my shades, I’ll murder you.” I taunted in a dry monotone.

My nonchalance seemed to calm him down a bit. He took a deep breath, his hands slowly returning to normal. “You know, Six,” he sighed, “tonight was supposed to be special. Shit, it cost me twenty bucks just to get Bobo to stay away for the rest of the night!”

“Where did you get that kind of money from?” I asked incredulously. “I’ve only ever seen you eat fast food and fight EVOs, and neither of those is a paying job.”

“Doc gives me five bucks for every new EVO sample I bring her. On a busy week, I can make more than Noah does working at Sloppy Joe’s Tacos.” He smiled proudly.

“Is that so?” I made a mental note to have a discussion with Holiday about her “enabling.” Right now, though, I needed to get away from Rex. “Are we done? Because I have to finish—”

“Don’t try to change the subject, Six.” Rex placed both hands on the table and leaned in; I had to back up slightly to keep our noses from touching. “I wasted my whole night on you. How are you gonna make it up to me?”

Had Rex lost his mind? He was sorely mistaken if he thought I owed him anything. As I watched the sly smile playing across his face, my anxiety turned to full-on anger. “I don’t have time for your games, Rex. I’d like to finish my work sometime before morning.”

Rex’s smile quivered ever so slightly. He crept closer, placing a hand on my stack of papers. “Why don’t you take a quick break? It’s the least you could do.”

Whether Rex tried seduction or provocation, his advances wouldn’t work this time. I was too enraged to let him have his way. I stared him in the eye and coldly breathed, “Go find someone else to entertain you.”

His smile disappeared; for a second he looked shocked that anyone could have the will to resist him. Then, the anger returned to his face, and he suddenly flung the papers off the table, scattering them far and wide.

I grabbed his wrist and yanked hard. _“Pick them up.”_ My words came out in a growl through clenched teeth. Rex flinched, then quickly composed himself. When I released him, he shot me an irritated glare before moving to gather the mess he’d made.

I gave an exhausted sigh and rested my head in my hands. Behind me came the sound of rustling paper. I kept telling myself to go—fuck paperwork and protocol and annual employee reviews, just leave Rex to the chaos he'd created. But before I had the chance to convince my body to stand, Rex came up behind me and dropped his pile on the table. “Here you go, _Sir._ ”

I muttered a dull “Thanks” and attempted to push my chair back, but Rex was unmovable; he pressed himself against my back, arms wrapping around my shoulders, hands sliding down the front of my suit. “Is there anything else I can help you with?” His breath was hot on my neck. I could feel his lips brushing my flesh, giving me goosebumps. The boy was unrelenting in his pursuit.

There was a sharp stinging in my chest. I only hoped Rex couldn’t feel my heart pounding beneath his fingers. My cock began to tingle with desire. Fuck, this temptation was unbearable.

“Rex…” I struggled to get the words out. “What do you _want_ from me?”

He tightened his grip around me. “Really? Isn’t it obvious?” he breathed. “I want _you_ , Six. I want you on top of me. I want you beside me, _inside_ me. I want all of you.”

My defenses were nearly depleted. I was becoming lost in the warmth of his touch, the sultry sound of his voice, and the delicate aroma of soap and cologne that permeated the air around him. I bit the inside of my cheek to force myself to come back to my senses. Casually, I rose from my seat, shrugging off his grasp. “You know, Rex, you should really think before you speak.”

However, before I had taken two steps, Rex threw himself in front of me, blocking my exit. He pressed his palms into my crisp white shirt to halt my pace. “But I _do_ , Six,” he pleaded. “I think about it all the time. So maybe I've never been with a guy before, but when I think about the two of us together, it just feels right. I close my eyes and imagine you touching me…kissing me. Your body always feels so warm against mine.” Rex inched closer, until his face was nestled in the crook of my neck, his hands now clawing at my shirt. “It gets me so hot, I can’t keep myself from jerking off, pretending it’s your hand on my cock.” He inhaled sharply. “Sometimes I get so worked up, I even stick my fingers inside myself, wishing it was you instead.”

His words were muffled against my skin, but I heard them as clear as day. My mind was instantly inundated with pictures of Rex bent over, his fingers buried deep inside his tight hole, moaning my name as he slowly worked them in and out. My cock swelled with longing at the thought of being those fingers.

Almost as if on cue, Rex’s hand eased lower and began stroking the bulge in my pants. I briefly shut my eyes and allowed myself to enjoy the pleasure that Rex was so desperate to offer me. When I opened them, I saw him gazing back with a triumphant smile. He looked so damned smug. I felt all my anger toward him come rushing back.

I snatched his hand away from my crotch and roughly shoved him backwards; he crashed into a nearby table. Rex looked up at me with a hurt expression on his face, like I’d snatched away something that had been promised to him.

God knows I could’ve killed him right then and there, I was so furious. But god knows just how bad I wanted him.

“Take off your clothes.”

Rex’s face gleamed with excitement at my stern command. He began stripping off his t-shirt, but I quickly stopped him. “Rex, why don’t you kill the camera and lock the door first?” I motioned to the security camera mounted to the wall in the far right corner of the room, standard equipment for all public areas throughout the Keep.

His shirt was halfway off, bunched up around his head. “Right!” he mumbled, flinging the cotton garment on the floor. He hurried over to the wall and placed both hands on it. There came a flash of light and another loud _whirrr_ as Rex activated his nanites. The microscopic machines spread through the wall in a glowing blue zigzag, deactivating the door mechanism and the security cam at the same time. Once they had completed their task, they returned to Rex’s body. “All done!” he exclaimed, running back over to where I stood. With a swift flick of his wrists, he was out of his boxers and onto the table, legs gleefully swinging back and forth over the edge.

I took off my shoes and socks and placed them beneath one of the other tables. I then stripped off my clothes slowly and methodically, taking care to neatly drape each piece over a chair back so as not to cause any wrinkles. Behind me, Rex whined impatiently, “C’mon, c’mon, Six! You’re taking too long!”

I snapped my head around to shoot him an annoyed glance. My only remaining clothes were my shades and boxer-briefs. The shades came off first; it took my eyes a few seconds to adjust to the room’s bright fluorescent lights. When the world around me came back into focus, the first thing I noticed was Rex leaning back on the table, propped up with one arm while his right hand lazily stroked his cock. “Mmmm…Six,” he moaned, fingers slipping between his legs to massage his balls.

I didn’t give a fuck about morality anymore; Rex had gotten me so turned on, I needed some form of release. And if putting him on his back would get him off _my_ back, then all the more convenient for me. Without hesitation, I removed my shorts.

Rex’s gaze was fixed to my groin; I stood there idly as he ogled my lower regions, his mouth slightly agape, as if in awe. I doubted he had ever seen a man fully nude before now. The way he stared at me sent a thrill through my body that was unlike anything I’d felt with other men, though many had complimented me on my lean figure, pale, white skin and long, thick cock.

It was also the first time I had a chance to fully admire Rex’s body. Years of fighting EVOs had given him a toned, muscular build. His chest was smooth and hairless; his abs flat and well-defined. His cock was a deeper shade of caramel than the rest of his body. It jutted out from a tangle of dark curls, meaty and uncut, the tip glistening with precum—just begging to be devoured.

I moved closer, ready and willing to consume every part of him. But before our bodies could even touch, Rex held up a hand. At first I froze, thinking he had suddenly changed his mind, but I breathed a sigh of relief when I felt his fingers brush against my shoulder, touching upon one of the many scars I had acquired from years of mercenary work. He traced it downward, sweeping across my chest before moving to another on my hip. Thousands of tiny electric shocks burst inside me; my skin was aflame with lust. Rex's hand reached for my cock, and with one finger he traced a line from the base to the very tip, dabbing up a drop of precum that had formed there. He brought the digit up to his mouth and began to suck on it, making sexy little noises like he had just tasted the most delicious nectar on earth.

I couldn't hold back anymore. I grabbed his arm and pinned it to his side before roughly cupping his chin in my hand. Leaning in, I tilted his head back, sealing my lips over his. His mouth was eager to welcome me; I slipped inside without a hitch. _This is what an adult kiss feels like, Rex_ , I thought as my tongue gracefully danced around, melting into the sweet warmth of his cavern. My fingers tangled in his hair; I drew us nearer, wrapping an arm around his waist. Our bodies were pressed tightly together now, Rex's legs locked around my hips, cocks dripping and grinding as I kissed him deeper, driving to the back of his throat. I was surprised at how good Rex tasted. I hadn't noticed it the first time he'd forced himself on me, but his taste was deep and complex, like coffee mixed with chocolate. I licked and sucked at his tongue, longing to drink every last drop.

Rex's hands were kneading my buttocks, tugging us closer together, causing even more pressure on our throbbing erections. I teased him by pulling away, tongue sliding out of his mouth just long enough so that I could flick it across his full, moist lips, then dipping right back inside. He moaned his annoyance at my little game, pushing forward into my kiss; I tugged sharply on his hair to put him in his place.

“Aaahh!” Rex cried out in pain as his head was jerked back. I was now free to attack his neck, licking along his jawline and planting wet kisses on his throat. Once Rex had loosened up and succumbed to the pleasure, I released my grip and shoved him down onto his back. He looked even more delicious splayed out on the table like an exquisite hors d'oeuvre. I allowed myself a brief moment to bask in the sight before leaning over to suck the flesh behind his earlobe.

My hands traveled down his taut chest, coming to rest at his nipples. I rolled the tiny nubs between my fingers, pinching them gently at first, then increasingly harder. Rex gasped, “Ahhh, Six...not so rough.”

I chose to ignore him, my mouth continuing its course lower. I stopped for a second to nibble on his collarbone, then licked a path straight down to one of his stiff buds. It was a deep pink and swollen from all the torment I'd dealt it. I gave it a quick kiss, then started to tease the tip with my tongue. Rex moaned his approval.

I'd always thought that a man's nipples were some of his best features. Rex's were particularly nice—small, perfectly round and extra-sensitive. I felt his cock twitch when I sucked on them. He must've been feeling it badly, because he thrashed his hips in a desperate attempt for some friction. I clamped my teeth down as my way of saying _Be patient_.

“Please, Six...ahhhnnn...I can't...”

_Too bad, Rex—this is how I like to play._

“Six... _Six_...please...”

I could've dedicated an entire night to Rex's nipples, but my cock was also screaming for attention. And the sound of his voice as he begged—it was almost enough to make me cum right then and there. I abandoned his chest and slowly edged lower. My tongue trailed along his stomach and into his bellybutton. I lapped up the precum that pooled there, enjoying its salty, delicate flavor— _Rex's_ flavor. I wanted more; I wanted to taste all of him.

His hard cock brushed against my cheek as I parted his legs and began sucking the inside of his thigh. Down here, I could leave all the marks I wanted. My teeth dug into the soft flesh, causing Rex's body to jerk at the sensation. I turned my head and repeated the action on the other leg, creating a pair of matching bruises. When I was content that I had left my impression on him, I moved on to the main course. Licking my lips, I spread his legs wider.

Rex inhaled sharply as my tongue made contact with his balls. I took one into my mouth and sucked gently. “Mmmm...Six...” The room was animated with Rex's moans. They only grew louder as I released the one and began on the other. When I'd had my fill, I switched to sucking at the base of his cock, then left a trail of kisses along his shaft as I worked my way up.

I glanced up to gauge Rex’s reaction. He was propped up on both elbows, straining to watch me worship his length with my tongue. Our eyes met briefly, and I was granted a glimpse of the insatiable lust that was usually hidden behind a veil of boyish innocence. Rex wanted more; his expression shouted _Fuck me!_ But I couldn’t give in so easily. I knew the longer I held out, the better the prize would be. I turned my attention back to his cock.

His slit was practically gushing. The sticky fluids clung to my lips as I greedily slurped them down. I played with his foreskin, lightly tugging at it with my teeth. With the right amount of suction, I was able to pull the skin back with my mouth, unsheathing his smooth, crimson head. My lips parted and slowly took him in, reveling in the musky flavors that grew more intricate with each centimeter. I worked my mouth around his turgid flesh while firmly grasping the base of his cock with one hand and cupping his balls in the other. Each time I came back to his head, I would swirl my tongue around it several times; Rex’s cock would jerk suddenly, and the room would fill with his groans. 

I took pleasure in eliciting squeals of satisfaction from him. With his cock buried deep in my mouth, I began to hum, partly to display the enjoyment I felt from sucking him, and partly because I knew the vibrations would drive him over the edge.

My prediction was right; Rex began trembling, his hand grasping at the back of my head. “Six…ahnnn…” His fingers unsuccessfully attempted to pull me away. “Six, please…I can’t take it anymore…I just…I want you to fuck me already!”

I had wanted to suck him dry—to feel his cock quiver as he released his milky cum into my mouth. But the sound of his voice as he cried out instilled a sense of urgency in me; I didn’t think I could hold out much longer, either. Besides, time was not on our side. Having sex in a public place in Providence was risky. And though I highly doubted Knight or any of the other agents were scrambling to repair the security camera, it was only a matter of hours before the morning shift rolled in looking for a caffeine fix. We would still need to clean up any mess we’d made before then and make a discreet getaway. It had been years since I’d done anything so reckless, but it had also been years since anyone had made me feel this crazy.

 Rex breathed a sigh of relief when I pulled back. He lay back on the table, bringing his knees to his chest as though he was ready for me to penetrate him and start pounding away.

“We need some lube.”

When he heard that, he opened his eyes and sat up, a look of concern furrowing his brow. “Oh, um…you have some, right?”

I raised my eyebrow. “Sorry, it’s not something I normally carry around with me.”

“But we can still do it, right?” Rex looked heartbroken at the possibility of being denied the sex he had worked so hard to obtain. “Right, Six?”

“Hrmmm.” I glanced around the room. My eyes chanced upon the fridge in the corner. It was a long shot, but there might have been something in there that could solve our dilemma. I strolled over, amidst protests from Rex.

“Hey, where are you going?”

“I'm gauging our options,” I replied. I threw the door open, scanning the contents for any sort of viscous liquid. But there was nothing inside but a few odd sandwiches and tupperware containers, and a smattering of condiments. Just thinking about coating my cock in ketchup made my erection soften a bit.

“So...anything good?” Rex asked.

“A bottle of creamy Italian dressing and a jar of mayonnaise.”

“Which one do you think will work better?”

 I glared at him and shut the fridge door. “No.”

“ _Aauuugh!_ ” His wailing seemed loud enough to pierce my eardrums. “But you said—you _promised—_ we could have sex!”

“And we're still going to.” Fuck if I was going to leave without getting off. I deserved it after all the shit Rex had put me through. “Get on your hands and knees. Face away from me.”

“But how—”

“Just shut up and do it,” I scolded. Rex complied, turning over onto all fours, his legs slightly parted. From this position, I had a wonderful view of his gorgeous ass. I pulled up a chair and sat down, maneuvering myself so that I was at eye-level with his rear. With both hands, I began rubbing his buttocks, palms gliding over the smooth skin. Rex let out a confused murmur. I'm sure he had no idea what I was planning for him. I pried apart his cheeks, revealing his entrance, small and dark like the pit of an exotic fruit. I wondered if he tasted just as sweet.

I planted a long kiss directly in the center of his opening. My tongue darted out to sweep across it; Rex moaned in pleasure at this new sensation. Slowly, I circled the tight ring of muscle with the very tip of my tongue, softening it with my saliva. I devoted myself to that little pucker, anticipating the moment my large cock would tear it open. My hand fell to my lap and I stroked myself as I continued licking him. All this time I had been neglecting my own needs, and the ache was becoming all too apparent.

Thankfully, Rex was beginning to loosen up. He was crying my name and pushing back against me, demanding more. I sucked and tongued his hole until it began to relax and open somewhat. Then, I wriggled my wet appendage inside, probing as deep as I could into that sweet, hot orifice. When Rex felt me force my way inside, he tried to squirm away, but I looped an arm around his waist and held him fast. I was having too much fun tasting him.

“Six, it feels...weird...ahhhhnn.”

My tongue continued to caress his inner walls. I fucked him with it, thrusting in and out, curling and twisting it inside. His balls bounced against my chin as I rocked his hips back, pushing deeper and deeper. Down below, my cock was slick with precum; I rubbed my slit, coating my fingers with it. As I withdrew from Rex's hole, I slid a digit into his crack, bringing it to rest where my tongue had just been. I watched his entrance twitch as I teased the edge with one sticky finger. I circled the opening, pressing against it but easing up before he had the chance to swallow. I could hear how flustered this constant torment was making him.

“Haahh, mmmm...” his breathing was heavy. “Hurry up! _Please._ ”

I was struck with the sudden urge to see his face. I couldn't stop thinking of how sexy he must look when teased to the breaking point. Grasping his hips, I guided him down onto his back again. Rex followed my cues as I motioned for him to spread his legs. The light from the fixtures overhead reflected off his skin, giving a warm glow to his engorged cock. I took hold and began pumping, my other hand traveling back down between his legs to his moistened hole. My index finger glided inside easily, sinking in up to the knuckle.

Rex hummed his approval as I slid in and out. “Mmm, Six...feels so good.” His insides were burning hot, throbbing and contracting around me. I couldn't wait to feel that wet heat around my erection.

“Six...ahhnn...more...deeper...”

I couldn't believe how worked up Rex was getting. _Had he really fingered himself like he'd said?_ My cock swelled at the thought. I gave Rex what he wanted, slowly pulling out and adding a second digit. With a longer finger inside, I could reach the sweet spot that I knew would make Rex feel better than he'd ever felt before. I moved around searching for it, all the while reveling in the blissful look on Rex's face.

“Fuck, Six...it's _so good_...”

Deeper, deeper...it was here somewhere.

“Aahhh, ohhhh...ooohhh...oh, _fuck!!_ ” Rex abruptly arched his back, throwing his mouth wide open in ecstasy.

Perfect. I massaged his prostate, curling my fingers inward, my hand quickening the pace on his cock. He was almost bucking now, unable to control his movements as I pleased him from both front and back. I moved my digits around in a circle before spreading them ever so slightly, stretching his tightened entrance. His ass clenched around me, muscles twitching. His cock began to spasm, and he suddenly released his load into my palm.

I kept my fingers inside him as I watched the hot, white liquid drip onto his stomach. Rex struggled to catch his breath, his nanites surging through his body on the crest of an intense orgasm, creating jagged blue lines on his skin. They covered every part of him, including his softening erection. My fingers popped out of his ass as I jumped back, afraid of what would happen were he to suddenly transform while I was still inside. But after a moment, the crisscrossing lines faded; both Rex and I breathed a sigh of relief.

“Six,” he panted, “I'm ready now. Hurry up and fuck me.” He wiped the sweat from his forehead, then placed his shaking hand on his chest. “Please, Six?”

I gazed at the helpless-looking EVO before me. For someone who'd never had sex before, he certainly wasn't apprehensive. “Are you sure? I should probably stretch you some more first.” I didn't want to hurt him too much.

“I can't wait any longer; I want you so bad.”

I tried to reason with him. “It'll hurt, you know.”

Rex smiled between breaths. “Don't worry. I can handle it.”

 _Fine_ , I thought, _I just hope you know I like it rough._ I scooped up the semen from his abdomen and smeared it on my erection, making it nice and slippery. Then, I lifted Rex's hips and lined my cock up with his hole, pushing my head against his tight pucker. His slick entrance was already giving off a delicious wave of heat. The tip of my cock nuzzled against it, the warmth traveling through it all the way to my balls. I wanted to shove in and fuck him like there was no tomorrow, because come tomorrow, our lives would go on like this had never happened.

I took a deep breath. “You should try to relax, Rex. It'll make it a little less painful.”

“Relax? Shit, are you kidding, Six?” He laughed. I was somewhat taken aback by his response. “My heart is beating a mile-a-minute. I can never just relax when I'm around you.”

 _Whatever you say, Rex._ I smiled to myself, and gently eased inside.

He whimpered when I entered him, his face contorting into a grimace of pain. His virgin hole was straining to accommodate me. Only the head of my cock was in, but Rex began clenching so tightly, I was afraid I would be trapped there, unable to move an inch. “Rex? Are you OK? Do you want me to stop?” I asked out of politeness, but I wouldn't have stopped even if he'd begged me to.

“No, I'm fine.” His words were labored. “Just...just go easy on me, OK?”

I smirked, leaning over and cupping his cheek in my hand. Our eyes locked; Rex seemed to loosen up a bit. “Now when have you ever known me to 'go easy on you', Rex?” He closed his eyes and nodded, accepting what was to come next. In one swift motion, I pushed the rest of myself inside.

The sensation was incredible. It had been ages since I'd fucked another man, I'd almost forgotten how warm and wonderful it felt. All the heat from Rex's body seemed to pool into that one spot—that deep, moist tunnel. I tried not to show it, but I was quickly losing myself to desire. I felt the ache all the way down to my toes.

I forced myself to pause for a moment, to give Rex time to get used to the unfamiliar length buried in him, threatening to split him open. He took several deep breaths, then mouthed _Go_. My hips moved deliberately, enjoying myself to the fullest. Gripping his thighs, I pushed his knees into his chest, raising his hips enough to give me a lovely view of my cock penetrating him. I licked my lips as I watched my shaft get swallowed up by his greedy little mouth. I pumped in and out at a tortuously slow pace, savoring every inch of him.

Rex began moaning as his pain turned to pleasure. I dug around for his prostate again, remembering how much he'd enjoyed when I'd touched him there the first time. His cock was growing hard; I reached for it and started stroking, quickening my pace as I fucked him faster.

“Ahh, Six...harder...more...” Rex grabbed his ankles, giving me a deeper angle of penetration. I could feel the sweat dripping from my face, my body. My cock was about to explode. Yet here was Rex, demanding everything I had to give and more.

The cheaply-made table rattled beneath us as I thrust into him with every ounce of my strength. I couldn't help but cry out as the pressure and heat attempted to suck out my very soul. I furiously worked my hand around his throbbing length, desperate to make him cum again.

“Fuck, Six...I'm so close...” His voice sounded so melodic and sultry. “I'm gonna—”

But I beat him to it. With one final thrust, I came inside him, my body struggling to stay on its feet as the electric shocks of pleasure shook me to the core. My chest was heavy with exhaustion, but I continued stroking Rex until he threw his head back, wailing, “I'm cumiiinng!!”

This time when he orgasmed there was a bright flash of blue and a mechanical _clink_ -ing; I barely had time to dodge as his Big Fat Sword appeared out of nowhere, slicing the air directly to the right of my head. I quickly pulled back, causing my cum to spill out of him and onto the floor. For a moment, I considered running to my jacket and grabbing my katanas.

“Fuck, fuck—I'm sorry!” He yelled, drawing the nanites back into his body. His arm returned to normal, and he ran a quivering hand through his mussed hair. “Sorry, Six, it was so good I had trouble controlling my nanites. Umm...shit happens, right?” He shrugged.

I shook my head, still feeling the cold metal dangerously grazing my face. My erection was rapidly deflating, dripping semen all over. Meanwhile, Rex was just sitting up on the table, the fluids from his cock and ass leaking onto the dull gray surface. The signs of our early morning sexcapade were everywhere. I could only hope there were some cleaning supplies in the cabinet below the sink.

There was, however, a roll of paper towels hanging in plain sight above the faucet. I walked over to procure a few, holding my cock in one hand to prevent any further drips. When I had finished cleaning myself off, I tossed the roll to Rex. “Here—and you may want to wipe that table down.” I headed to where my clothes were hanging and started to get dressed.

“You know, Six,” he said happily, “That was even better than I imagined. Hell, it was probably the best night of my life.”

I turned to face him, buttoning my shirt with some effort. My fingers were still shaky from cumming so hard, and the fabric clung to my clammy flesh like a second skin. I had half a mind to interject that he'd barely lived long enough to make that statement. But my thoughts were cut off when I heard him say:

“I bet it'll be even better next time.”

“ _Next time_?” _Wasn't it enough that I had fucked him once?_ I froze and stared at him; the grin on his face was as bright as the day.

“You know, you're a tough man to seduce, Six.” He wadded up one of the paper towels and began dabbing the mess off his stomach. “But now that I've got you, I know you're all mine.”

Rex smiled slyly, his eyes gleaming. I felt a lump forming in the pit of my stomach.

“And believe me, Six, I'm never letting go.”

[[end of chapter two]]


	3. Three

**Three.**

Rex developed a system: whenever he winked at me, that was the signal that he wanted sex—as fast and filthy as possible. It happened often and at random times. We'd be in the middle of a mission debriefing, or training, or even in line at the cafeteria, and I'd glance over to see Rex grinning back with a wink. It was amazing how such a small gesture could get me so hard.

We did it everywhere, in every known position (and even some I'm sure we’d invented): up against the wall in one of the supply rooms, on our knees in his shower, spread-eagled across the main conference room table. He especially liked to ride me in the pilot's seat of my Jump Jet.

Rex was a fast learner; he moved his hips when I told him to, sucked harder at my cue. Not a day went by without my cock inside his tight ass or lascivious mouth. Even my dreams were invaded with his image: his full, moist lips grazing my shaft, licking it adoringly with his tongue; his face pressed into the pillows, legs spread wide, revealing the tiny hole he so desperately wanted me to fill. I couldn't deny how much I was enjoying the pleasure, though I constantly struggled to keep the animal inside me under control.

One week passed, then two, then an entire month. The other agents on base seemed hopelessly oblivious to our reckless lovemaking. White was too thick to figure out why his expensive security cameras were blacking out all hours of the day, and Holiday’s science had yet to uncover the source of Rex’s fluctuating biometrics. We fucked with abandon, yet the world never cared to notice.

I would have put a stop to this—I _should_ have—but I just _couldn’t._ Or maybe I didn’t want to. A devilish voice in my head told me to enjoy it while it lasted. _Don't bother trying to resist anymore, just let him do whatever he wants._ _Teenagers lose interest in things so quickly; pretty soon he'll get tired of you and end it._

_He'll get tired of me soon enough_ , I reasoned. Then, things would return to the way they were. Just let him have his fill.

After all, it was only sex.

 

“Six, I'm tired of this.”

“Hmm?” I turned at the sound of his voice—a low whisper in the bustling laboratory. Rex was sitting on Doctor Holiday’s examining table, kicking his legs like an anxious five-year-old. I didn’t know why he had asked me to accompany him to the lab that morning, but my heart had begun pounding the minute we’d set foot in the door. _Had Holiday figured us out?_ The woman had several PhDs, and she seemed to run new, more complex tests on Rex each day. She had just taken several blood samples from him before rushing off to analyze them, leaving the two of us alone.

Rex rubbed his upper arm through his red jacket, wincing from the onslaught of Holiday’s needles. “You know, I’m just starting to get tired of this.”

 “Of what?” The tightness in my chest grew worse. I leaned in to conceal our conversation from a group of nearby technicians.

“All the running around and hiding and everything, you know? It’s getting old.”

My heart calmed slightly; I took solace in the knowledge that my life would soon be returning to normal.

“I want to spend the night with you.”

“What?!” I hadn’t meant to say it so loudly, but it was enough to briefly catch the attention of some passersby. “What the hell is that supposed to mean?” I hissed in a whisper.

He gave a quick glance around the room. “Well, it’s just that I’m tired of always having to sneak around and rush through things.”

“Oh? And what am I supposed to do about that? Tell White I need some time off for a honeymoon?”

“Dude, calm down, Six.” Rex placed a hand on my shoulder, which I quickly shook off. “Look, I’m not asking for you to take me out on a date or anything. I just want us to spend a little more time together.”

_I get it now; he wants to “cuddle.”_ As if what we were engaging in currently wasn’t crazy enough. How the two of us were going to stay in the shadows while taking time out to spoon was beyond my comprehension. No, it was just impractical. But my answer was even more impractical. “I’ll see what I can do.”

“Awesome!” He grinned and held up his arms like he meant to hug me. “I’m so looking forward to it!”

“Looking forward to what?” Holiday rounded the corner, catching the tail end of our conversation.

“Oh, you know, just lookin’ forward to those test results, Doc.” Rex quickly dropped his arms and flashed her a million-dollar smile. I bit my lip; fuck, he was a terrible liar.

She held up a clipboard and flipped through several text-laden pages. “Well, nothing seems abnormal. Your white blood cell and nanite counts are stable. No latent infections...” After flipping back and forth and mumbling some calculations, Holiday sighed and lowered her paperwork. “I can’t find any explanation as to why your biometrics are all over the place.”

Rex and I stared at each other for a moment. Then, he turned to Holiday and shrugged. “Dunno, Doc, maybe it’s just teenage horm—”

“—Don’t even say it,” I warned.

Holiday laughed and shot me a quick wink. Soon after, Rex followed suit. I shook my head in frustration.

God, I was hopelessly fucked.

 

Why did I feel the need to bend over backwards for Rex? More accurately, why did I continue to bend him over just to fulfill my own needs? Surely even lust had a breaking point? There had to be some line that I refused to cross, even in my most desperate state. Yet there I was day after day, risking everything for him. And even that wasn’t enough.

I went to Callan and asked him to cover my duties for the night. He and his team were perfectly capable of handling any sudden EVO attacks, or at least stalling long enough for Rex and me to compose ourselves. After that, I sent Bobo on a “top-secret” reconnaissance mission in Vegas, knowing full well the only things he’d be investigating there were blackjack tables and scantily-clad showgirls. Barring any major catastrophes, the two of us would have the entire evening to ourselves.

When I arrived at his room, Rex had just stepped out of the shower and was standing in front of a mirror, running a comb through his damp hair. A towel hung loosely around his waist, doing little to hide the curvy, muscular ass beneath it. “Hey, Six!” He rushed over and threw his arms around me; I could feel the steamy moisture still clinging to his skin.

“This is so _awesome_! I can’t believe we’re spending the whole night together…”

Rex’s voice droned on in the background as I focused on our surroundings. It was far from the Presidential Suite, though Rex had taken time to tidy up some. The lights were too bright, and the twin bed entirely too small to comfortably fit more than one person. It brought back embarrassing memories of all the awkward college dorm sex I’d had.

When Rex was finished babbling, he released me and hopped onto the bed, flinging his towel off in the process. As I watched him lie down, beckoning me to join him, I again asked myself what the hell I was doing fooling around with this kid. And how would I ever be able to justify what I was going to do next?

“Why don’t we go back to my room; my bed is bigger.”

 

We did it three times that night. Rex was so excited that I’d invited him in that he began tearing at my clothes the minute we were through the door.  I was no better, though. I pushed him onto the bed and fucked him long and slow, relishing in the added time we’d been dealt. When we were finished, I headed to take a shower, but Rex slid into the glass enclosure behind me and we soon grew lost in kissing and washing each other. When he began stroking my cock with a slick, soapy hand, I found I couldn’t control myself. I took him up against the wall, hot spray from the shower pounding down on our entwined bodies. I was exhausted from the second time, but shortly after that, as we were lying silently in bed, Rex slid over and straddled me. He grinded his hips effortlessly as I struggled to breathe. These “teenage hormones” were going to run me ragged.

After round three was over, we climbed beneath the covers, my body rapidly growing colder as cool air hit my sweat-slicked flesh. I glanced at Rex, who was busy staring at the ceiling and humming his content. He looked like he didn’t have a care in the world—like nothing mattered but this moment right here and now.

I listened to Rex prattle on endlessly about seemingly random topics: basketball games with Noah; his favorite burger toppings; how proud he was that his brother Cesar had opened his own lab in Mexico City. He went on for so long, I started to feel myself drifting off to sleep.

“Six? Hey, _Six_?” Rex’s voice stung my ears. “Why do you always wear these things?”

I rubbed my eyes and looked over to see him inspecting the tinted sunglasses I had left on one of the bedside tables. He turned them over in his hands, watching the room’s dull light shine through. “I bet you just wear ‘em because they make you look cool,” he mused as he slipped the shades on. “Whoa! It looks like I’m swimming in toxic waste.”

“Rex, have you ever heard of the term ‘poker face?’”

“Hah! That’s what _she_ said!” he laughed.

_Of course._ I mentally kicked myself. How could I expect someone with Rex’s level of maturity to understand my reasoning? He was too young to experience half of what I had. If the eyes really were a window to the soul, then I wanted to keep mine hidden from any trespassers. I even would’ve worn my shades during sex if it didn’t look so utterly ridiculous. Fuck it, I wasn’t about to spill my emotions to Rex. “Yes,” I sighed, “I wear them to look cool. Now hand them over before you break them.”

Rex acquiesced, carefully removing the glasses from his face and giving them one more look-over before passing them back. I reached over and placed them on the table closest to me. When I turned around, Rex was leaning on one arm, gazing at me intently. “You know, you have really nice eyes. You should show them off more often.” He flashed me a warm smile. “They’re such a pretty shade of brown.”

“Thanks, I’ll keep that in mind,” I responded dryly. I had never had someone compliment me on my “pretty brown eyes.” In fact, the only comment I was used to hearing was “I thought they’d be green.”

“Ah, crap, did that sound too girly?” Rex sat up and shook his head. “Fuck, I’m such a loser.” He went quiet for a moment, staring at the blank wall opposite the bed. Then he shrugged and turned to me. “So, anything you wanna talk about? Oooh! I know! Why don’t you tell me how you got all those cool scars?”

I raised my eyebrow. I never liked talking after sex; the conversations always seemed forced and awkward. I preferred my bedfellows to be a little less loquacious. Regardless, I certainly didn’t feel like suddenly breaking my habit and opening up to him. I simply replied with an empty gaze and a cool “No comment.”

“Seriously? Not even a clue?”

I shook my head.

“Well, we could talk about something else.” Rex paused to consider his options. “Tell me about how you got involved with Providence?”

“Sorry, that’s classified.”

“Oh-kay…” he thought harder. “How about your favorite kung-fu movie?”

“Classified.”

“Your favorite flavor of pie?”

“Classified.”

“How often do you shave?”

“Classified.”

“Do you like cats?”

“Classified.”

“What’s your real name?”

“Dwight.”

“ _Dwight?_ ” Rex laughed, his eyes the size of saucers. “For real? Your name is _Dwight_?”

“No,” I replied. “That information is classified.”

He groaned, “Six, you’re impossible!” I smiled at his little outburst. I enjoyed toying with his head almost as much as he enjoyed toying with my cock. I opened my mouth to make a snide comment, but Rex turned his back to me, pulling the covers up around his shoulders. “Wake me when it’s time for breakfast, ok?”

I yanked the sheets down in a huff. Rex was out of his mind if he thought I would allow him to sleep in my room. “Rex, you can’t stay here. People will get suspicious if you start sleeping over.”

“If that’s all you’re worried about, then I’ll leave early tomorrow before anyone even notices.” He yawned and tugged at the blankets.

“Rex, you have trouble getting up before noon—”

“—But you said I could spend the night, Six.” His voice was muffled from the thick pillow that rested against his face.

“We _did_ spend the night together, Rex.” I struggled to control the anger in my voice. The walls here were not exactly impermeable. “It’s past midnight, so technically it’s morning.”

Rex stirred slightly; his words were heavy with fatigue. “Just get some sleep, Six. Everything will be alright.”

But things weren’t alright. Rex had taken command of my libido, and now he was encroaching on my private space. No good could come of this; if I let him stay, things would only get more complicated.

He was already dozing off, snoring intermittently. I reached for his shoulder, meaning to wake him, but I froze before my fingertips could even graze his skin. I just sat there and watched his breathing, my hand still outstretched, reaching for empty air. Sighing, I eventually turned around and set the alarm for 4:30AM, long before the start of the morning shift.

 

[[end of chapter three]]


	4. Four

**Four.**

We carried on this way for months. Rex would come by late at night, the two of us would have sex, fall asleep, and once the morning alarm rang, he’d wander back to his room like a bleary-eyed zombie. This pattern became so familiar, it was hard to imagine a night without Rex sleeping soundly in my arms, though I insistently told myself I only held him close to keep him from stealing the covers.

Knight and Holiday were still in the dark about us, and Rex assured me that Bobo was dense enough to believe any lies as to his nightly whereabouts. But I didn’t entirely care. I was done worrying about being discovered. As long as Rex continued to give his body to me, the world could go fuck itself. After all, this life was only temporary.

So, I grew content to let the days pass, waiting patiently for the end. And even though there was seemingly no end in sight, I convinced myself that the time would indeed come when Rex would throw me away. My mind kept emphasizing how much of a relief it would be—how I wouldn’t miss any of it.

Because from the start, this had all been a mistake. Just an ongoing mistake that would eventually correct itself.

***

 

I’m dangerously close to cumming, but I fight it with everything I’ve got. Rex’s nails scrape the flesh from my back, the stinging pain a wonderful accompaniment to the warm, blissful pressure around my cock. We've fucked every night this week, but right now my desire for him is insatiable. His insides feel amazingly good, his voice insanely sexy as he calls out my name: “Six, _Six...harder..._ ”

Our sweat-slicked bodies slide against one another with ease. I dip my head down and begin sucking on his neck. Rex moans loudly as I suck harder, drawing the tender skin into my mouth and biting down, not caring what kind of marks I leave. Rex's voice only grows louder as I continue to kiss below his jaw. He nudges my head to the side and starts to lick at my earlobe, taking the nub in his teeth and gently tugging on it. I pull back slightly, my lips searching for his wanton mouth. Our kisses are deep and wet, and I can feel the throbbing in my cock each time our tongues flit across one another.

My hips move slowly; I want to feel each bump and ridge inside him. The pleasure is maddening and always leaves me wanting more. I grab his shoulders and push him down, ripping his hands from my back. With Rex pinned beneath me, I'm granted a lovely view of his young body: his flesh shimmers in the light, his chest heaves, his face is flushed. I lick my lips.

I withdraw my cock just enough to swing Rex's leg over to the side. I guide him onto his knees in front of me and then swiftly pull him backwards, so that he's sitting on my lap with his back against my chest. He gasps at the sudden change in position. “Ahhhhh...Six…”

My left arm slithers around his waist, forcing his hips back with a series of sharp tugs. I take his cock in my right hand, stroking it gently. Rex begins to move on his own, thrusting into my touch. I loosen my grip, allowing the shaft to just graze my fingertips. It’s almost criminal how much joy I get from teasing him.

He moans my name over and over, like some tantric mantra. I feel his hand grasp my own, guiding it back to encircle his engorged cock. _So impatient_ , I smile to myself as I rub him faster. Though I’m not sure how much longer I can last myself. I’m already struggling to hold back as Rex grinds into my lap. His ass is twitching so intensely, I wish I could fuck him for hours.

Rex’s hand on mine, we jerk his erection until he breathlessly exclaims, “Six…I’m cumming!” I cup my hand around the head of his cock the moment he orgasms; the warm semen hits my palm and begins to dribble through my fingers. I quickly raise it to my face, sucking down the majority of his thick, salty essence. The rest I offer to Rex, whose head is lolling on my shoulder, trying to recover from his release. He takes two fingers into his mouth, bathing them with his tongue and making little slurping noises as he sucks off the last of his own juices. I can feel his chest heaving and his heart pounding through his back. My desire takes control.

My nails dig into his hips, forcing him up and down in a frenzied grind. The moist heat around my cock feels too good. I sink my teeth into the nape of Rex’s neck, but it does little to silence my moans. “Mmmm…Rex… _Rex_ …aahhnn…” I cry his name as I move faster and deeper, thrusting wildly as my arms encircle him. “Rex… _nnnhh…cumming_ …” At last, I explode in a fit of passion, pouring every last drop of myself into him.

I embrace Rex tightly, resting my chin on his shoulder. My chest aches with every breath, my lungs drown in the scent of sweat and semen that has come to define us. We're both trembling, trying to shake off the haze of lust that surrounds us like a blanket. Unable to hang on any longer, I allow my tired arms to drop to my sides; Rex slumps forward, face-down onto the pillows.

My legs cry out in pain from kneeling with the weight of Rex on top of me. I struggle to move, and finally manage to stretch out onto my back, pins and needles stinging my calves as the blood rushes back to my extremities. Breathing heavily, I close my eyes. Sex with Rex is some of the best I've ever had—the kind that makes my muscles twitch and leaves my limbs feeling like jelly. I open my eyes and lazily reach over for the box of tissues on the table to my left. After snatching a few, I turn slightly and pass the box to Rex.

His eyes are glazed over, lips parted as he struggles to breathe. He takes the tissues from me with an unsteady hand. “So, tell me,” he pants, “which is the _real_ Six? The stoic Providence agent...or the passionate lover?”

“Maybe...” I gasp, “A little of each.”

With a low groan, Rex heaves himself off the bed and begins to clean the mess from his lower regions. I watch the workings of his muscular back while wiping the remnants of our encounter from my cock. “Really? Coulda fooled me.” He pauses, reaching for some more tissues. “I mean, you're just so cold and serious all the time.”

I could give Rex a million reasons as to why I act the way I do, but I remind myself that private matters are best kept to oneself. Instead, I force a thin smile, balling up my tissues and tossing them into the nearby wastebasket. I imagine I'll always find these post-sex conversations awkward.

Rex disposes of his tissues and climbs into bed. The covers lie in a heap at our feet, the two of us still too hot and sweaty to have much use for them. “Y'know, Six,” he continues, “I honestly never thought I'd get this far with you.”

“That makes two of us.”

“I guess that just goes to show how awesomely irresistible I am.” Laughing, he turns on his side to face me. “Yep, I'm the Sex Ninja, and you are merely my geisha!”

I can't help but chuckle at his bold proclamation. “Isn't that the other way around, _geisha_?”

“Eh, whatever.” He flops down onto his back, gazing at the dim lights overhead. His face takes on a more somber appearance. “Seriously, though, getting through to you was like digging through a brick wall with a spoon. It's like you had this force field that just deflected all forms of flirting. I didn’t know what else to do to get to you.” He turns and fixes me with an innocent smile. “You always said I should figure out what I want and then find a way to make it happen. Though I'm still surprised you didn't kill me that first time.”

 _Yeah, so am I, kid,_ I think. I could've done it with one finger and still have made it look like an accident.

Rex laughs, “Man, you have no idea how nervous I was that night. I got butterflies in my stomach every time I thought about kissing you.”

“You could've fooled me,” I smile.

He nudges closer, pressing his body against mine. I stretch out my arm beneath him, allowing him to rest his head on my shoulder. Rex's hot breaths hit the side of my neck as he presses his lips beside my ear and whispers, “ _Te amo, Six_.”

“Rex, I don't speak Spanish.”

“I know,” he replies, nestling deeper into my neck. Soon, he's fast asleep, his snores muffled by my flesh. I stare blankly at the ceiling until I feel I can no longer keep my eyes open.

What Rex doesn’t know is that ever since I’d picked him up as an orphan in Mexico all those years ago, I’d taken it upon myself to learn some of his language. It was rather easy, too, as I was already fluent in Japanese, French and Mandarin. So, when Rex spoke those words to me that night, I understood him all too clearly.

 _Just what is he thinking, telling me he loves me?_ I turn that question over in my head, but no matter how I look at it, I can’t find the answer. _What does someone his age know of love anyway?_ To youth, love is just an ideological delusion of flowers and rainbows and happiness. But I know the truth behind it all. I know the pain that comes with falling for someone, having to face disappointment over and over again. “Love” can only make things more complicated than they already are. 

It’s then that I realize I can no longer hide behind my idle excuses for inaction. Rex doesn’t intend to end things with me; his naïve notions of love will keep him hanging on indefinitely. I’m going to have to be the one to step up and put a stop to this.

_“Te amo, Six.”_

I’m furious with myself for letting things get so out of hand. I try meditating to calm my mind, but my body is shaking too hard for me to focus.

 

“Come on, Six! Just once—it’ll be real quick, I promise!”

“I said no, Rex. Not tonight.” I ignore his annoyed pleas and proceed to disrobe, letting my stained jacket slip to the floor. The EVO we’d fought tonight had left a slimy film over everything it had come in contact with. I’m dying to scrub the goo from my skin. “This week has been exhausting.”

I had been fortunate enough that immediately after I’d decided to end things with Rex, we’d been hit with an onslaught of EVO activity. I had been more than happy to use our frequent battles as an excuse for being too tired for sex. Rex had accepted defeat at first, but after three days he refuses to hear it anymore. He follows close behind me, tugging at my shirtsleeve.

“If not tonight, then when?”

I acknowledge him without turning around. “I don’t know.”

Silence permeates the room; Rex brushes his fingertips against my back—a touch so light, it causes me to shiver. His arms creep around me, his fingers trace my own, making to help me undress. My heart thumps so loudly, I’m afraid Rex will be able to hear it. I take a deep breath and try to calm my nerves. If I let him continue, I won’t be able to stop myself. Hadn’t I vowed to end this once and for all?

I fling his hands from me and spin around. “Stop it, Rex! I said I’m too tired to fuck around with you!”

His face shows no signs of remorse. “What the hell, Six? Why are you acting like such a dick all of a sudden?”

“You can’t always get your way,” I tell him, removing my shades and fixing him with an icy cold stare.

“But I _need_ you, Six!”

“What you need is a shower and some sleep.”

“OK, fine then!” Rex pushes past me and tears the covers off the bed, throwing himself onto the mattress fully clothed. His red jacket is the only splash of color in a sea of gray. “We don’t have to screw. We can just go to bed.”

My eyes are immediately drawn to the translucent gloop clinging to Rex’s clothes. The more I stare at it, the more I’m reminded of all the times I’ve helped cover him with an entirely different kind of fluid. My cock stirs at the thought; I need to get away from him. Quickly, I turn and head for the bathroom, shouting behind me, “Rex, go back to your room and clean yourself up.”

“But, Six—”

“ _No_. Just leave,” I sigh, slapping the Door Close switch and engaging the locking mechanism. Outside, Rex hurls a string of obscenities at me—some English, some Spanish. As I stand and listen to his verbal assault, I notice that my hands are trembling. This whole confrontation has me distressed; I tell myself how much of a fool I am for allowing Rex to have such power over me.

Eyes closed, I rest my head against the door and hope that when I leave, the room will be empty. There isn't much else I can do.

 

Silence greets me as I exit the bathroom. I stand in the doorway, clutching the towel around my waist as if guarding my nether regions from sudden attack. But Rex is not there. I glance around the room several times, but the scene doesn’t change; I’m completely alone.

It’s long past midnight by now. I hang my towel on a nearby hook and slowly climb into bed, distancing myself from the spots where Rex’s EVO slime has dampened the sheets. Since I owned zero pairs of pajamas, I used to wear my suit to bed, but ever since Rex started spending the night I’ve grown accustomed to sleeping nude. Although the bed feels uncommonly cold, I refuse to put any clothes on. Clutching the blankets around me does little to help.

I shut my eyes and try to sleep, but memories of Rex keep floating through my mind. His smile, his voice, his body—it almost feels like he’d never left. My hands move of their own accord; my fingers wrap around my stiffening cock and tiredly begin to stroke it.

 _How pathetic_ , I tell myself, _you can’t even stop thinking of him for one minute._

 

Long before morning breaks, I'm awakened from my fitful sleep by the familiar sound of the door sliding open. I crack open one eye, but the world around me is pitch black. When I hear the _fwoosh_ of the door closing, I carefully reach for the katana on my side table. Then, I wait. Footsteps slowly approach; I hear the rustling of moving clothing. Closer, closer; I stay deathly still, waiting for the right moment. Fingers graze the covers by my shoulder, and that’s when I attack.

I lunge forward, grabbing the stranger’s hand and pinning it to the bed. My katana springs open, and I press the blade against his throat.

“Calm down, Six! It’s just me!”

Even in the darkest night, I could pick out that voice with ease. “Rex?” I tear my blade away, quickly retracting it into its handle. Tossing it to the side, I fumble for the light switch. As my eyes adjust to the sudden brightness, I see Rex lying on his back, gazing up at me with fearful eyes. His hand grasps the part of his neck I had almost severed. “What the hell were you thinking?!”

“Right, sorry. I forgot you were a full-time ninja.” The bed creaks as he pulls himself into a sitting position. “Thanks for not killing me, by the way.”

I gather the sheets around my waist as I sit up, leaning my back against the headboard. “Just what are you doing sneaking around in here, anyway?”

Rex toys with the hem of his white t-shirt, twisting it around in his fingers. “I just—” His bottom lip trembles as he tries to get his words out. “I wanted to say I’m sorry for earlier. I acted like a selfish jerk. I really should’ve been more respectful of your feelings.”

 _Why the hell couldn’t he just wait until tomorrow to tell me?_ I want to express my annoyance with him, but I’m too stunned by his sudden burst of maturity. In all honesty, though I had been trying to drive him away at first, I’d ended up being hurt by his anger. His unexpected apology is like a bandage on my heart.

Amidst the silence between us, Rex reaches out and places a hand against my face. His touch is warm and inviting; I want to close my eyes and fall into a deep slumber. “Please, I don’t want us to fight anymore.” He leans in and softly presses his lips against mine. The kiss is quick and light, but I can still feel the heat from his body long after he pulls away. Our eyes lock for a moment, and my chest begins to ache from loneliness. Despite my better judgment, I want him beside me.

Before I have the chance to speak, Rex rises from the bed and starts walking toward the door. “I know you’re tired, so I’ll let you get some sleep now. Sorry for waking you.” He waves behind him. “See you in the morning, Six.”

I’m frozen in place—throat dry, lungs burning, heart pounding—wanting to move yet trapped inside my own shell. I fight to speak, just one word that could change everything.

_“Stay.”_

Rex turns at the sound of my creaking voice, a surprised look on his face. Slowly, his mouth curls into a smile.

 

[[end of chapter four]]


	5. Five

**Five.**

“Does Rex ever talk to you about girls?”

The blonde boy glances at me nervously, turning the basketball over in his hands. “Umm...not really.” He turns his head slightly and peers out the window at a pair of joggers crossing the park.

“I see.” I nod my head, my thumbs idly tapping the steering wheel. I had called Noah out to meet me because I thought he might be able to give me some insight into Rex's behavior. As Rex's best friend, I assumed he could answer some of my questions, though from the moment I'd picked him up, he seemed too intimidated by my presence to be of much help.

We sit in silence inside one of Providence's nondescript gray sedans, watching a group of teenagers shoot hoops at the park basketball court and trying not to feel too awkward around each other. I'm contemplating my next question when Noah suddenly speaks up. “Well...I mean, Rex _used_ to be interested in girls...but now all he ever talks about is you.” He fixes his blue eyes on me. I resist the urge to turn and hide my face. Even with my shades on, I feel exposed and vulnerable.

“Look...” He hesitates, voice quivering slightly. “I...I know Rex used to have a reputation as a...a _womanizer_...but he would never cheat on you, if that's what you’re here about.”

My hands grip the wheel tightly; I swallow around the lump in my throat. “Excuse me?”

Noah's gaze remains firm. “You don’t need to pretend around me; I kinda figured it out on my own. Rex didn't even need to tell me.”

I take several deep breaths, but the sickness in the pit of my stomach refuses to leave. “How long have you known?”

“How long have I known about the two of you? Or how long have I known that Rex is...well, you know...”

“Gay?”

“Yeah.” Noah shies away at the mention of the word, lowering his eyes and staring down at his basketball. “I've known about it for a while now. Once, I found my dad's porno stash while I was cleaning the garage. I thought it would be kinda fun to, you know, watch 'em with Rex.” I watch his fingers trace the black lines of the ball. “Well...the whole time he just kept asking all these weird questions, like 'How do two guys do it?'”

“And that's when you found out?”

“That and he forgot to erase his browsing history on my computer.” He slaps the ball a few times before giving me a stern glance. “Do yourself a favor—don't ever go to 'two guys one dong dot com.' I felt like bleaching my eyeballs after seeing that.”

I suppress a smile, and instead breathe a quiet “ _Hrmmm_ ” and wait for him to continue.

“Anyway, I asked him about it and he just came right out—even told me how he felt about you. He wasn't embarrassed or anything.”

_Rex's feelings about me._ I can't even bring myself to ask what they were. We stare at each other for some time, neither of us knowing what to say. Eventually, Noah turns his gaze back to the players outside. “Listen—” his voice comes out in a hush, “don't be angry with Rex for telling me all this. He confided in me because he trusts me, and because...well...he's really proud of his relationship with you. I think you’re the first person he’s ever really cared this much about.”

“Just what is it that he sees in me?” I address the question more to myself than to Noah.

“You mean other than the fact that he thinks you’re the sexiest man since the dawn of sexy?” I eye him curiously; he holds up a hand in defense. “Hey—his words, not mine.” Noah shrugs, running a hand through his blonde hair. “I dunno. He looks up to you, sees you as someone he can trust.”

“He doesn’t care about the age difference?”

“He doesn’t care about _anything_. So you shouldn’t be worried about it, either. He may be young, but Rex knows _who he is_. And that’s more than I can say about anyone else I know.” Noah’s words are emphatic. When he speaks, the world outside seems to stop turning. “Rex is crazy in love with you. For real.”

I nod solemnly. “I know.” At that moment, I don’t feel like being around him any longer; I motion towards the door. “Thanks, Noah. I’m sorry to have bothered you.”

“It’s cool. Oh, and don’t worry, I won’t tell Rex about our meeting.” Noah exits the car and closes the door behind him. I start the engine, but before I can pull away, I hear a faint tapping on the glass. I roll the window down all the way, and he sticks his head inside. “Hey, can I ask you a question?”

“Shoot.”

“Do you and Rex, y’know, use _protection_?”

I silently raise my eyebrow at him.

“Look, I know it’s none of my business,” he anxiously rubs the back of his neck, “but if Rex gets pregnant, we won’t be able to play basketball together for, like, a year!”

“Noah, do they teach Sex Ed in your school?”

“ _Ffffftt!_ ” He laughs, tossing his ball in the air. “I _wish_!”

“Me, too,” I breathe, and slowly pull away.

 

Later that day, I take Rex out into the desert under the pretext of training. What I really want, though, is a moment alone with him, away from the eyes and ears of Providence. I tell myself that now is the time to break it off, but at present I’m still thinking of a way to accomplish that. Each time I open my mouth to bring it up, the words tangle in the back of my throat, and my excuses become more ridiculous.

“Rex, are you still a virgin?”

He’d been resting his head against my shoulder as we watched the sunset from the hood of my Jump Jet, reds and oranges of the mesa glowing brighter in the light, surrounding us in warm hues. When he hears my question, he sits up and turns to me. “Um, what do you think we’ve been doing this whole time, Six?”

“No, what I meant to say was you’ve never—” _Never slept with a woman_ is what I want to say, though I know the pointlessness of the question. Noah had told me that Rex was certain of who he was; insisting that he’d been confused or simply lacked experience with females wasn’t going to work. _And if he had been intimate with a girl?_ I feel a twinge of unwanted jealousy bubbling up inside me. I press on, choosing my words carefully. “You’ve never _topped_ anyone?”

Rex frowns at my ambiguous inquiry. “You mean, like, me being the guy doing the screwing? With my cock?”

I mentally groan. “Yes, Rex. That’s one way of putting it.”

“No, I mean, I’ve only ever been with you.”

“Do you want to try?” I blurt out the words without even thinking.

“For real?” He squints at me through the sunlight. “When?”

I hesitate. I’m supposed to be ending this relationship, not encouraging it. Yet I can’t keep the wheels in my head from turning, thinking of the next time we’ll be together. “Tonight. Come by around midnight.”

There’s no stopping now; I feel myself accelerating toward some unknown end, flung by the arm of a cruel fate. _So be it_.

I entwine my fingers with his; our hands are warm and dry from the desert air. He places a palm on the back of my neck and draws me into a kiss. One kiss turns into two. Our clothes are off in an instant. As we rub our bodies together under the hot sun, I gaze up into the sky above, my lenses turning the clouds an ominous shade of green.

 

“Are you sure about this, Six?”

“Positive. And you? You still want to?”

“Of course I do—I just…” Rex stares blankly as he rubs his index finger and thumb together. A small drop of lube trickles down between his knuckles. “I mean, I’ve never done this before. I don’t want to disappoint you.”

I lean back on my elbows, watching him patiently. Though he’d shown enthusiasm earlier, it had taken a lot of encouragement to get Rex just to crack open the bottle of lube. I don’t want to risk scaring him away. “Relax, Rex. You never let those thoughts bother you before.”

“But what if I’m no good at this?”

“Don’t worry—I’ll teach you what to do.” I smile and lie back on the bed. My legs part slightly, ready for him. “Just go slow at first. Touch me the way you like to touch yourself.”

Rex exhales an unsteady breath. His trembling fingers brush the inside of my leg, sending shivers down my spine. The way his hands caress my thighs leaves me anxious for more. I close my eyes and try to still the pounding in my chest as he spreads my legs further apart. Slowly, his hand begins to creep lower, beneath my balls, to the tiny pucker that’s been begging for his attention. His lubed-up finger slides around easily, turning little circles in the center.

I gasp as the electric sensation shoots through me. It had been so long since I’d fingered myself, I’d almost forgotten how amazing it felt. My body heats up in response to his touch; my cock twitches and my balls contract. “Mmmm, Rex…that’s good. Don’t stop.”

Rex continues circling the outer edge of the ring, working slower and increasing pressure. Soon, the very tip of his finger pierces the opening. I feel a sudden sting as his slick digit begins to creep inside me. Deeper and deeper it moves, until it can go no further. My hands clutch the bedsheets, my muscles tensing slightly as Rex fills me up.

“You’re so warm, Six,” he muses, carefully pumping in and out. The pleasure is euphoric; I squirm and buck my hips, craving more. I want his fingers and cock inside me. I want him to fuck me fast and hard. I want to feel his cum spilling out of me. I want to be his first in every sense of the word.

“ _Ahhhnn...Rex...Rex..._ ” I'm moaning like mad by the time Rex adds a second finger. There's a sharp pain as I'm stretched wider, but it fades in almost an instant. He probes the softest part of me, twisting and turning, drawing out the heat from deep inside.

Both of us are breathing heavily, our sweat soaking the sheets; I open my eyes and see Rex staring down at me, his face flushed. “God, Six...” he pants, “...you look so sexy.” At that moment, he curls his fingers upward, grazing my prostate. My back arches suddenly; it feels like a hundred tiny explosions have gone off in my body.

“ _Fuck, right there...that's it...”_

My cock throbs with a sense of urgency. I reach down and begin stroking it as Rex continues massaging my sweet spot. He watches with interest as I touch myself, the haze of lust reflected in his eyes. I decide to put on a show for him, tugging my cock in one hand and rubbing my balls with the other, moaning like a bitch in heat at the immense pleasure. I’m far too horny to care how shameful I must look.

From the expression on Rex’s face, I can tell that he’s having a hard time holding back. “Fuck, you drive me crazy, Six. Just watching you makes me wanna cum.” He presses harder against my prostate. “Mmmm…maybe I’ll make a new build that we can play with. Maybe something that vibrates…”

“Don’t say that with your fingers inside another man’s ass,” I joke. Rex is hitting all the right spots, but I want more. I imagine how wonderful his thick cock will feel inside me. “Rex…ahhhhnn…one more finger…”

He slowly withdraws, causing me to bemoan the sudden emptiness. Then, ever so carefully, he wriggles three fingers inside me.

The burning pain hits me like a brick; I feel the muscles groaning, stretched farther than they’ve been in years. But there’s no way I’m stopping now. I close my eyes and stroke myself faster, trying to take my mind off my aching hole.

Rex moves cautiously, sliding and stretching as gently as possible. I can feel him creeping closer to my cock, his hot breath a pleasing sensation against my thigh. His tongue sweeps along my shaft, saliva dripping between my fingers. I move my hand to give him full access, and he devours me. I’ve forgotten all about my pain, concentrating only on Rex’s mouth moving around my length.

By now, Rex is a master at sucking me off. His hand firmly grips the base of my cock as he works his magic, tongue twirling light circles around the head. He dips down, taking me in deeper, grazing the shaft with his teeth as he moves up and down. With each thrust of his fingers, each twist of his tongue, he brings me closer to orgasm. When I feel myself about to spill over, I clutch the back of his head, tangling my fingers in his hair and driving him down as far as possible without choking him. One more thrust is all it takes; engulfed by his moist heat, I cum hard, back arched and body shaking.

Rex swallows every salty drop of it, sucking until I’m milked clean. He licks his lips and gazes down at me, fingers easing their way out of my hole. “Now?”

I nod, struggling hard to regain my breath.

But he hesitates, hands frozen on my thighs. “You’re sure this is what you really want?”

“Yes…” I grasp his wrist, pulling him closer. My other hand guides his cock to brush against my newly-stretched opening. Rex relaxes and sinks down into my embrace. Tenderly, I plant a small kiss on the corner of his mouth. “I _want_ you, Rex.”

Trembling fingers reach across the bed and pick up the bottle of lube on the table. Rex opens it and slathers a generous amount on his erection. The head of his cock nudges my hole open, then, inch by inch, I feel his delicious thickness penetrate me.

Having him inside just feels right, like a puzzle piece falling into place. I wrap my legs around him, holding him still for a moment and feeling him pulsing deep within me. Then, I take several deep breaths and give my body over to him completely.

 “Six, it feels so…tight…and hot…” Rex places a hand beside my shoulder for balance and starts grinding into me. His slow undulations set my nerve endings on fire. I moan loudly, my hands gliding across his back, gripping the flesh there tightly.

“That’s it, Rex—a little faster…fuck, it feels so good…” My mouth seeks out his neck, licking the sweat from his skin; he quivers as my tongue brushes against him. His hips speed up their pace, but he’s shaking too much to sustain it for long.

“ _Ahhhnnn, Dios! I can’t—I’m gonna cum!_ ” Harder, faster, he pounds into me. Our bodies move violently against one another, closer than they’ve ever been. “ _Six—ahhh—te amo! I love you! I love you!_ ”

Rex lets out a guttural growl, his body tensing suddenly. With a long exhale, he relaxes, resting his forehead on my shoulder. “S-sorry, Six,” he whispers in between gasps, “I came too fast.”

I smile and draw him into my embrace. “Don’t worry; it’ll be better next time.”

Laughing, he kisses me gently on the cheek. “You’re the best, Six.” Rex slides out of me with a deep sigh. He tries to move away, but I hold him tighter. His warmth covers me like a blanket. It’s not long before I drift off to sleep, arms wrapped around him, listening to the sound of our peaceful breaths melting into the still night.

 

[[end of chapter five]]


	6. Six

**Six.**

“Six! _Six!_ Answer me, goddammit!”

Holiday’s shrill voice rouses me from my sleep. It’s like a swarm of angry bees stabbing me in the brain. Once the initial drowsiness fades from my eyes, I’m able to focus on the objects around me. The digital clock on the table reads 9:42AM.

_Shit. I fell asleep without setting the alarm._ Beside me, Rex stirs slightly, fighting his return to the land of the waking.

“ _SIX!_ So help me, if you don’t answer right now, I’m going straight to White Knight!”

I drowsily reach for my communicator, holding it several inches from my face. If I had slept with it in my ear like I normally did, I’d be deaf by now. I push the button and speak, suppressing a yawn. “Six here.”

There’s a brief crackle of static before her voice returns, still high-pitched and frantic. “It’s about time! I’ve been paging you like crazy!”

With clumsy fingers, I try to rub the sleep from my eyes. Deep inside, I have a dreadful feeling about this. “Sorry, I’ve been…preoccupied. What seems to be the problem, Holiday?”

“What else? It’s Rex.” Her voice creaks a bit. “He’s _missing_. He never showed up for his appointment today, and Bobo says he hasn’t seen him all morning. Then, I can’t get in touch with you—”

“I’m up, I’m up,” Rex mumbles, dragging himself onto his elbows. He yawns and then fixes his tired gaze on me. “Whozzat? Holiday?”

I raise my hand in an attempt to silence him. “Don’t worry, I’ll go find him,” I tell her in my most assuring voice. “I’m sure he’s just playing hooky again.”

“Don’t bother, Six,” she sneers. “I know he’s with you. In your _room_.”

My heart nearly stops. _How? And how can I play this off?_ Behind me, Rex chimes in, “Well, if she knew where I was, then why even bother asking? Seriously, Doc, c’mon!”

“You’re not helping, Rex,” I hiss, covering the communicator with one hand. Precious seconds are ticking away. The longer I hesitate, the more suspicious she’ll become. “We were just training. I thought you’d be angry with me for keeping him, so I didn’t admit it at first. Sorry, we must’ve lost track of time.” I speak calmly and clearly.

“Nice try,” she counters, “but I know you’re lying. See, Knight had me working on some new tracking devices. I’ve been implanting them into Rex and monitoring the results. Looks like I managed to finally engineer one that his nanites couldn’t deactivate.”

I shouldn’t be surprised that Holiday had finally discovered our secret; we had been on borrowed time from the start. But my mind races and my stomach churns. I swallow hard, praying that I’m still asleep and dreaming. Rex leans over my shoulder, straining to hear our conversation. “Dude, is she for real? Shit.”

My trembling thumb depresses the button. “I—like I said, we’ve been training—”

“Oh yeah? What kind of training have you been doing, exactly? Because I checked the tracker’s backlog, and he’s been there every night for the past _two weeks_! Why don’t you explain that to me?”

“ _Fuck..._ ” Rex squeezes my arm. “What are we gonna do now, Six?”

_I don’t know, Rex_. What can we do but come clean? Though there was technically nothing in the Providence employee handbook prohibiting relationships between agents, the fact that I’ve been fucking my seventeen-year-old partner is bound to cause some controversy. White Knight will probably exile me to one of Providence’s more remote bases, like Antarctica. Fuck, I knew it was going to end sooner or later, just not like this. “Does Knight know?” I ask her.

Holiday laughs snidely. “Yeah, like I’d tell him I found a way for him to keep track of his precious ‘weapon’ 24/7.” She pauses. “But I will if the two of you don’t get down here immediately and explain yourselves. I mean it! You’ve got five minutes! Holiday out.”

The line goes silent. I toss the communicator back onto the table; it bounces once, then rolls onto the floor. I’m too nervous to give a fuck right now.

_Isn’t this what I wanted—a way out?_ I sigh and heave myself out of bed.

“Wait, Six—let me go first.”

I turn to see Rex quickly gathering up his clothes. “Holiday wants to see both of us. She’s already mad as it is. Who knows what she’s thinking?”

He pulls on his underwear, then nearly stumbles trying to get into his pants. “Yeah, but you always look so put-together. If you walk in there with your hair and clothes all messed up, smelling like sex, she’ll know for sure something’s up. I’ll stall her while you get a quick shower.”

I stand there idly, naked, while Rex throws on his jacket and begins searching for his shoes. He grabs one from under the bed, and then crosses to the opposite side of the room to retrieve the other. Though I’d rather not deal with this situation, I’m not sure that leaving it in Rex’s hands is an entirely good idea. But my apprehension gets the best of me. “Fine, I’ll meet you there in ten minutes.” Rex nods and sprints for the door.

“Rex, wait—”

He freezes, half his body out the door. A puzzled look flits across his face.

“What are you going to say to her?”

“Don’t worry, Six,” he smiles, “I’ll take care of things. Just trust me.”

Though I have trouble trusting in Rex’s weak promises, I find a small amount of comfort in his words. Honestly, I’d have believed any lie just to buy myself a few more seconds to sort through my tangled thoughts. As the shower’s hot water rushes over me, I dig deep inside my mind for some sort of believable excuse. Each time the thought of admitting the truth surfaces, my resolve begins to crumble. I cover my face with my hands.

_God, I’m such a coward._

 

It takes me a minute or so to spot Holiday. She and Rex appear to be arguing inside a small enclosed lab with a large window. When she spots me through the glass, she shoots me a glare angry enough to kill a rampaging EVO. Rex just smiles and waves. Begrudgingly, I take a deep breath and enter.

She barely gives the door a chance to close before attacking me. “Care to tell me what the hell is going on?”

Rex sits on a stool by a large whiteboard. Though the two of them had been engaged in a heated conversation, he’d grown silent the moment I entered the room.  Now, he gazes blankly at a shelf of flasks, the chemicals inside glittering brightly in the light.

There are two long lab tables in the room; I lean against one of them, as far away from Holiday as physically possible in such a tiny space. She crosses her arms and waits for an answer, but my tortured mind has nothing to offer. “I…I can’t…”

“Try me. I could believe anything after listening to Rex.”

I can feel my extremities going numb. I knew leaving Rex alone with her was a bad idea. Now what the hell has he stirred up? “And just what did Rex tell you?” I try to steady my voice, but there’s no hiding the fear bubbling to the surface.

Rex shrugs. “I told her that we were lovers.” He says it so matter-of-factly, my heart nearly stops from the shock.

“ _What?!_ ”

“Tell me he’s joking, Six.” Holiday approaches me, stopping just inches from my face. I can feel her eyes burning through the green tint of my protective shades. “Well?”

With my back against the table, I’ve nowhere to run. I have no excuses, no words to make this right. I can’t even open my mouth to speak. Silence is my answer.

She clasps her hand to her mouth. “Oh, god. It’s true, isn’t it?” Her eyes grow wide; she blinks them several times, as if forcing back tears. “Fuck, I’m such a fool for not seeing it!” Holiday begins pacing the room, her boots clicking loudly. “All the little gestures and whisperings and those goddamn biometric readings—teenage hormones, my ass! What the fuck is wrong with me?!”

“C’mon, Doc, don’t beat yourself up over it.” Rex stands and tries to place a comforting hand on her shoulder, but she angrily brushes it off.

Her face is now seething with rage. She turns to me and shouts, “How long, Six? How long has this been going on?”

“A little over six months,” Rex replies. “Look, it’s not like we could just come out right away—”

“Rex, be quiet!” she snaps. He immediately takes a step backward, knocking the stool over with a loud clatter. As he rushes to right it, Holiday turns her anger back to me. “Well? What have you got to say for yourself?”

_What do I say to her?_ On the rare occasions that I did consider what would happen if we were caught, I always had a stash of lies stockpiled in the back of my brain. But now, there isn’t so much as a speck to be found. My mind is a complete blank; my words like weights hanging in the back of my throat. “I…I’m sorry.” I can’t manage to produce anything else other than a baseless apology.

“That’s it?” Her voice creaks as it grows louder. I can only hope that the room is soundproof. “I expected more from you, Six. What the hell were you thinking?!” She waves a dismissive hand. “Oh wait, that’s right—you _weren’t_.”

Rex jumps to my defense, unsuccessfully trying to step between the two of us. “You can’t blame this all on Six, Doc. We’re both in love—”

Holiday spins to face him, her cheeks turning ghostly white as she screams. “Sure, you’re ‘in love,’ you’re ‘in love,’” she mocks. “What the hell would you know?!”

“I know enough—”

“Then you should’ve known not to let him sleep with you!”

“ _Stop! Both of you!_ ” Rex and Holiday turn, startled by my sudden outburst. Even I’m shocked at the sound of my own voice. My head throbs from listening to all the shouting and insults. I try my best to massage the pain from my forehead. _I never wanted this to happen. I never wanted to be in this situation. What else can I do?_ “You’re right,” I tell her. “This is entirely my fault. I’m the adult here; I should’ve shown some restraint.”

“ _Restraint_? Christ, Six, I told you to relate to him, not _fuck_ him!”

“I know. I…I acted irresponsibly. It was unlike me.”

Holiday clenches her fists in frustration. “For fuck’s sake, he’s more than half your age! Did you throw your morals out the goddamn window?!” The room seems to shake from her fury.

Rex steps beside me. When he speaks, his voice is tense. “Six, what are you guys talking about?”

“Shut up, Rex!” she interjects. “Don’t ever come to me for advice again, Six. You’ll just fuck things up even more.”

“ _Six!_ ” Rex pleads, tugging on my sleeve

I turn my eyes to the ground, unable to face him. “I…” _I can’t keep this up; this is something I have to do._ “I had a temporary lapse in judgment; it won’t happen again.” I say it to the both of them, though in reality it’s more directed at myself.

Instantly, I see a change in his demeanor. He returns to the innocent boy I thought I knew. “So that’s it, huh?” His words spill out like a trembling stream. “We were just some unfortunate accident?”

“Rex,” I sigh, gazing into his wounded eyes. I expect the weight to lift from my chest, but it only grows heavier. Still, it’s too late to stop now. “I’m sorry, Rex. What happened between us was never supposed to happen.”

“Yeah, well it _happened_ ,” he yells. “And now you’re saying you regret it?”

“I never meant to—”

“Why don’t you man up and take responsibility?”

“Rex, please—” I reach for him, but he shoves me away. I stumble into the table, my back hitting the hard edge.

“ _Don’t fucking touch me!_ ” he shrieks. “You think it’s fun to fuck around with my feelings? Like I’m someone you can just screw and then throw away? Goddammit, Six, take some responsibility for what you’ve done. I fucking fell in love with you! And that means nothing, right? If you never cared about me, then why didn’t you tell me?”

“Rex, just listen to me, please—”

“No. I’m done here.” He storms to the exit, but pauses just beyond it. Turning around, he shouts for the entire lab to hear, “You can go fuck yourself, Six, because I’m not doing it anymore!” I can just barely make out the tears in his eyes as he runs off.

My first instinct is to chase after him—to take responsibility, as Rex had called it—but Holiday growls my name, making me freeze before I can take more than two steps.

“Six! I’m not done with you yet!”

Her voice drones on in the background, yelling, judging and condemning. All I can focus on at the moment is the blur of red streaking across the lab. Guilty and helpless, all I can do is watch him leave. _It’s over,_ I tell myself. _Whatever comes next, be happy that it’s over._

After halfheartedly listening to Holiday scold me, I wander the halls for some time, trying to lose myself in the crowds of faceless agents. I want to get as far away from the memory of this morning as possible. Though Rex is nowhere to be seen, his image is still fresh in my head, the pain of betrayal plastered across his face. _They think I’m a terrible person, and they’re right._ The negative thoughts are inescapable.

The day crawls by slowly. I don’t feel much like working, nor do I have an appetite for lunch. Instead, I head back to my room, deciding that I’d rather hide from the world for the time being. The empty darkness is exactly what I need right now.

Once inside, I remove my shoes and jacket and lie down on the bed. The sheets are still a mess from this morning, but I don’t entirely care. I fixate on the stillness around me, hoping that it will help my mind relax. When that doesn’t work, I attempt to reason with myself.

_You won’t have to put up with his whims anymore._

But I miss him.

_Stop tormenting yourself; it had to be done._

But I hurt him.

_He’s young, he’ll get over it. Having your heart broken is a part of life._

But whose heart did I break?

_I just don’t know._

My eyes feel heavy all of a sudden; I take off my shades and roll over onto my side, on top of something hard. The object is long and cylindrical. I dig it out from underneath me to give it a closer look, and recognize it immediately. It’s the tantō I had given Rex for his sixteenth birthday.

_He must’ve returned it while I was still with Holiday._ I grasp the handle and pull gently, revealing the short yet brilliant blade. “ _Whether for good or ill, our fates will follow the same path._ ” Those were the words I had spoken when I bequeathed it to him—a promise that I would always be by his side. But now I’m all alone, clutching the cold sheath to my chest. I wipe at the tears stinging my eyes.

_Shit, Rex, what have I done?_

Why did I say those things? What made me think that I could so easily forget the softness of our mouths melting together? Or the way he felt wrapped in my embrace, our warm bodies resting peacefully after a long night of giving in to passion? Rex knew what he felt from the start; why did it take _me_ so long to figure it out?

I jerk upright, my heart pounding like mad.

_I have to find Rex._

“Rex, I need to talk—” But when the door to his room opens, I’m shocked into silence by the utter chaos before me. Clothes and personal items are strewn everywhere, posters are torn from the walls—it looks like a bomb went off.

Various programs and intervals of static eerily flicker across the flat screen TV. Out of the corner of my eye, I catch a glimpse of Bobo lounging on Rex’s bed, channel-surfing with a bored look on his face. “A thousand channels and nothin’s ever on, am I right?” His eyes remain glued to the screen as he says this.

“Where’s Rex? He hasn’t been answering his communicator.”

“He’s gone, loverboy. Says he ain’t comin’ back, neither.He pauses for a moment on a wrestling match, then quickly switches to a reality show featuring teenagers partying at a nightclub. “Eh, this’ll work,” he mutters to himself before turning to me. “I tried talkin’ some sense into him, but he wasn’t hearin’ it.” Bobo shakes his head. “Teenage hormones, I tell ya.”

“I swear, if I hear that phrase one more time—”

“Hey!” He tosses the remote aside, and with a quick swing of his legs, he’s standing on top of the bed, his one good eye shooting knives at me. “Don’t go takin’ your anger out on me just because you can’t keep a boyfriend!”

I raise my eyebrow. “What the hell are you babbling about?”

“Look, I didn’t fall from no banana tree; I know what you two have been doin’.” Bobo holds up his hands and makes an obscene gesture. “Ehh? Am I right?” he laughs.

_Filthy fucking ape._ I sigh, shaking my head. “Bobo, I don’t have time—”

“Y’know, I told him he was better off. I can imagine how boring it must’ve been gettin’ fucked by a frigid jerk like you.”

My fingers twitch; I resist the urge to pull out my katanas. “How long ago did he leave?”

He shrugs. “An hour, maybe?”

_Shit. He’s got a decent head start_. I consider asking Holiday to track him for me, but my head can only take so much screaming in one day. I’d rather find Rex on my own. Besides, this is my responsibility.

As I hurry out of the room, I hear Bobo shout behind me, “Hey! In the off chance ya do find the kid, remind him that he promised me I could have his bed, and I ain’t intendin’ on givin’ it back!”

 

It doesn’t take me long to find Rex; there are only so many pizza and burger joints in the surrounding area. As I drive by, I spot him sitting by the window at a shabby-looking place called Luigi’s Bistro, chatting with a red-headed waitress in a bandana. I make sure to park the car a few blocks away from the restaurant, so as not to arouse any suspicion. But as I round the corner, I catch a glimpse of Rex careening down the street in his “Rex Ride," the angry waitress shouting after him.

“Get your ass back here and pay me! I am not chasing you in these heels!”

“Rex, wait!” I run as fast as I can, keeping my eyes on his blurred form in the distance. As I pass her, the waitress grabs at my jacket; I hear her stumbling behind me as the fabric slips from her grasp.

“Hey, green man!”

I turn and shoot her an annoyed glance. “ _What?_ ”

She steadies herself and adjusts the black bandana on her head, her heels tapping on the pavement. “I don’t know if you know this, but your son-of-a-bitch friend there skipped out on his bill. So either you pay me now, or I’ll find your car and make you pay later.”

Grumbling, I pull out my wallet and hand her a $50 bill. “Keep the change,” I mutter under my breath.

She tucks the money beneath her bandana, eyeing me curiously. “You supposed to be a CIA agent or something?”

“I don’t have time to talk—”

“Oh, I got it! I bet you’re with Providence, right?” The waitress points in the direction Rex went. “Is that guy an EVO?”

I sigh and attempt to walk away, but she grabs my arm. “Miss, do you have anything relevant to contribute? Because I’m in a hurry here.”

She winks at me, her blue eyes twinkling. “Look, as much as I hate my job, my boss would probably have a coronary if this place got raided by Providence. So I guess I should tell you that you might wanna check near the railroad tracks for that EVO. You know, near the 54th Street bridge? He mentioned something about ‘going hobo’ and hopping a train. They come about every hour.”

No time for words, I nod my thanks and hurry off. Behind me, the girl yells out, “Yo, green man! When you’re kicking his ass, tell him Amera sent you!”

 

The loudmouthed waitress is right; as I cross the bridge at 54th Street, I spy Rex by the tracks below, kicking some stones around. I climb down the nearby embankment as stealthily as possible. I haven’t had to chase Rex down like this since his early teenage years, when his idea of rebellion was hot-wiring a transport tank to go cruising for babes and burgers. Those days, I could do without.

When Rex hears my feet hit the gravel, he turns. “Oh, it’s _you_. Are you and Holiday keeping tabs on me now?” he sneers.

I approach him with caution. “I came on my own, Rex. Because—”

“—Whatever you’re thinking, you can just forget it,” he cuts in. “I’m not going back to Providence. Shit, I would’ve been miles away by now if I could hold my builds for more than a few minutes at a time.” He kicks up a cloud of dust that lingers in the hot, stagnant air. “I’m just too goddamned upset to focus.”

“I know. It’s all my fault.” Despite the burning rage in his face, I press on, unafraid. “I want to apologize. I was wrong about us…about _everything_. Please forgive me and come back home. I—”

“You think I give a fuck about your guilt, Six? Do you know what it’s like to lose someone you love?”

Did I truly know how Rex was feeling?I think back to my days growing up with One, the man I’d wished would be more than just a father figure. And then there was Knight, whose lips I’d wanted to kiss so badly but to whom I could never seem to get close enough. Could it even be considered love if it was one-sided? My chest feels heavy; when I inhale, it feels like I’m being crushed beneath a ton of dirt. “I—Maybe. I don’t want to find out now.”

Rex clenches his fists, nanites surging through his arms. “You threw me away, and now you think you can just have me back? Fuck you, Six! _Just leave me alone!_ ”

I step forward, stretching out my hand to him. “I’m not leaving unless you’re with me.”

“What don’t you understand, Six? I’m not coming! I never want to see you again!” With a deep growl, Rex activates the nanites in his right arm, releasing his Big Fat Sword. He points it threateningly in my face. “I mean it, Six. Just go.”

“Not without you.”

Rex raises his sword, poising for attack. I stand, unflinching, waiting for him to inevitably come to his senses.

But the blade comes down first.

Had my reflexes been anything but razor-sharp, I would’ve been sliced in two. I drop to the ground and manage to roll out of the way at the very last second; the tip of the sword crashes into the dirt just a few feet from me. Stunned from Rex’s attack, I stagger to my feet, leaning against the wall of the underpass for balance. I glance back over at Rex as he raises his weapon a second time.

“ _Comprende,_ Six? You think this is some game?” He strikes the bridge wall with a loud _Clang!_ “Now leave!”

I can barely steady my breathing. Rex looks fit to kill me—he nearly just did. But there’s no way I’m going to give up. “Stop it, Rex. I don’t want to fight you. I just want to talk.”

“It’s too late for that!” He swings fast; I can hear the _swoosh_ of the blade penetrating the air around me as I duck. Rex is quick on the rebound, slicing a second time. I have no choice but to engage my katanas. _CLASH!_ Metal slams into metal as I block his strike. The screeching noise of our blades sliding against one another is deafening.

Rex is weak from struggling to keep his nanites under control. I lightly shove him backwards, causing him to stumble a bit. Though I could easily overpower him, I have to remind myself to take it easy. I want Rex to come with me of his own volition.

It only takes a moment for him to regain his footing. He lunges at me, his sword striking dead air as I skirt past. Wildly, he swings again and again. My arms are growing tired from maintaining my passive fighting stance. This senselessness has to end soon. “Please, Rex! Just listen to me! I care about you too much to let you go!”

“ _Liar!_ You never cared about me! You only cared about yourself!”

Swords crash together like lips crashing—bodies crashing—into one another. Memories of the two of us rattle around in my head. _Rex, how can I get through to you?_

I push him harder this time; his foot hits the edge of the railroad track and he tumbles over. No sooner does he hit the ground than he’s back up again, scowling and brandishing his weapon. I take several steps back, bracing myself against the wall. I fight to catch my breath, sweat dripping from my face; I can’t do this anymore.

“Give it up, Six,” Rex gasps, his chest heaving from exhaustion. “I’ll break you.”

“You broke me a long time ago!” I shout.

Then, everything seems to happen in slow-motion. Rex is charging forward, rays of sunlight playing off his sword as it travels through the air toward me. The katanas slip from my hands and clatter to the ground, their dull metal sound echoing off the walls around us. I feel something hot against my face and then, bit by bit, the green veil in front of my eyes falls away, revealing a bright blue afternoon sky. I gaze over at Rex, watching calmly as his sword seems to disintegrate, pieces of orange and gray tinkling to the earth below.

It’s Rex’s sudden screams that bring me back to reality.

“ _Six! SIX!_ ” He springs forward and wraps his arms around me, hot tears staining my jacket. “Why didn’t you dodge?! Why didn’t you dodge?!” He repeats those words over and over, burying his face in my neck.

There’s a dull ache growing in my head. I glance over his shoulder and notice my shades lying on the ground, the earpiece cut clean off. Dazedly, I raise my hand to my face, my fingertips sliding through a stream of blood on my left cheek. At once, I feel an intense stinging in my upper arm. I reach over and gingerly touch the damp, tattered threads on my left shoulder, groaning at the searing pain caused by just a brush of my fingers. The “tears” I’d thought Rex had been crying was, in reality, blood. I can already feel the warm liquid traveling down my chest. Reflexively, I press my hand to the wound to control the bleeding.

Rex cries uncontrollably, mumbling, “I’m sorry, oh fuck, I’m so sorry!” He squeezes me tightly; I allow my body to rest in his embrace, placing all my weight on him. My legs are shaking from shock; I can barely stand as it is.

_If I had been honest with myself from the start, this never would have happened. It’s time I let my heart speak._ “Rex, I’m sorry,” I whisper into his ear. “I’m just a selfish coward. I was so afraid of getting hurt; I never considered how much I’d been hurting you. I thought—” Tears spill down my face, stinging the cut on my cheek. “I thought if I kept denying my feelings, they would just disappear like they’d never even existed. I was wrong. It’s just that...no one has ever loved me back.” Softly, I kiss the side of his neck. “Please forgive me. I want you to come home. I can’t imagine my life without you.”

Rex nods, gently pulling back. His clothes are covered in my blood. “Can you stand for a minute?” he asks, using the back of his glove to wipe the tears from his face. “I’ll see if I can get us out of here.”

Before he lets go, I lean in and plant a kiss on his forehead. “Just concentrate, Rex. I know you can do it.” A train whistles far off in the distance. Leaning down, Rex picks up my katanas and hands them to me; I quickly retract the blades and slide them back into the specially-designed holsters inside my sleeves. The stabbing pain in my shoulder grows worse with each movement.

He steps a safe distance away from me, focusing all his energy on the nanites in his legs. The lines in his pants begin to glow blue, and in a flash, his lower body transforms into the Rex Ride. He pulls down his orange goggles and gestures for me to hop on. “Think you can hang on?” he asks. “We gotta get you back to base fast.”

The bleeding at my shoulder has slowed somewhat, the matted fabric of my shirt serving as a makeshift bandage. I sit behind him, carefully wrapping my arms around his waist. “I’m fine. Don’t worry about me.”

As he speeds away, Rex shouts back, “Like hell I’m not gonna worry! I already almost killed you once today!”

I laugh to myself, giving Rex a quick squeeze. Though my body aches, my heart feels light and hopeful. I press my lips against his ear and whisper, “ _Aishiteru, Rex_.”

“Huh?” He turns his head slightly. “What’s that?”

“It’s Japanese.”

“But I don’t speak any Japanese, Six.”

“I know.” I smile and rest my head against his back, watching the world race by in a blur of colors and sounds.

 

[[end of chapter six]]


	7. Seven

**Seven.**

“Doc! Holiday! We need your help, _stat!_ We— _oof!_ ” Rex shuts his mouth temporarily and rubs the spot on his ribs where I had just jabbed my elbow. “What’d you do that for?”

“You’re not helping the situation, Rex.” In fact, I had specifically told him several times on the ride back not to cause a scene, though he probably hadn’t heard me over his frantic apologies and incessant worrying. His frenzied outbursts have already drawn the gaze of several lab technicians. They stop dead in their tracks and stare inquisitively; a few run off shouting for Holiday. I groan. As if the sight of two bruised and bloodied men limping around didn’t attract enough attention. “And you don’t need to hold me up, Rex, I can walk just fine. It’s not my legs that are injured.”

Frowning, he removes his arm from around my waist. “But what if you’ve lost too much blood? You’re not feeling dizzy, are you?”

“I’m fine, really. I’ve told you about ten times that it’s just a minor flesh wound. The pain isn’t even that excruciating.” In the distance, I can hear the hurried tapping of heels on linoleum. Holiday appears from around a corner of one of the lab’s large machines, nearby technicians pointing her in our direction. When she sees our sorry state, she nearly snaps her clipboard in half.

“Six?! Rex?! What the hell happened?!”

I flash her a smile, though with the pain I’m experiencing at the moment, it’s more like a wince. “Lover’s quarrel,” I explain calmly.

“Six started it,” Rex chimes in.

She heaves an exasperated sigh. “Do I even want to ask what the hell you two have gotten yourselves into now?” Her hand moves to massage her forehead. “I swear I can’t leave you out of my sight for a minute!”

“I can tell you about it after you patch me up. OK?” I gesture to my shoulder for emphasis.

Holiday is not amused. “Dammit, Six! I’m a biomechanical engineer, not a surgeon! We have an infirmary here—”

“I don’t trust my well-being to just anyone, Rebecca.” I smile to myself. I know that calling Holiday by her first name is a surefire way to get her to acquiesce to any of my requests. “Please, it won’t even take long.”

“Yeah, and we don’t wanna have to explain this more than once,” Rex adds, wiping at the bloodstains on his shirt.

Holiday stares at the two of us for a moment, an irritated look on her face. “Fine,” she breathes, “let’s make this quick.” She turns. “Six, follow me. Rex, go back to your room and clean yourself up.”

“But, Doc…” Rex whines, hurrying along behind us.

Angrily, she spins around. “I mean it, Rex! I don’t need you pacing around like a nervous wreck, distracting me.”

With my uninjured arm, I strip off my tie and toss it to him. “Rex, do you think you could keep busy by doing some laundry and maybe straightening up the room for us?”

He nods. “Should I wash the sheets, too?”

“ _SIX!!!_ Let’s move it!” Holiday grabs the sleeve of my jacket and tugs hard; my arm feels like it’s about to tear off.

As we walk away, Rex yells out, “OK, I’ll be back soon! Don’t worry, Six! You’re in good hands!”

_Shit, I hope so_ , I tell myself.

 

She takes me to a small corner in the back of the lab where a solitary hospital bed is set up behind a curtain partition. There are several glass-paneled cabinets on the wall with various medical supplies inside. Holiday neatly sifts through the contents for some basic tools: surgical gloves, shears, sutures, gauze and cotton balls, tape, a syringe, and some bottles of sterile water and anesthetic. She ushers me onto the bed, and begins to cut off my stained jacket and shirt. We remain silent as she cleans the blood from my skin, wiping carefully across my chest with antiseptic-soaked cotton balls. I try not to show how much pain I’m feeling as she starts to irrigate the gash in my shoulder, but she must see my body tense up, because she stops to ask, “Feeling ok?” All the anger is gone from her voice, replaced by a tone of genuine concern.

“I’ll survive,” I grumble, resisting the urge to curse Rex under my breath. _I guess I deserve this after all_ , I reason.

Holiday injects some anesthetic around the wound, and then reaches for her sutures. “Just so you know, I’ve only ever done this on a dead frog before, so don’t get mad if I leave a scar.”

“Don’t worry,” I smile, “it’ll be a fond memory of today.”

“Oh, you mean the day you and Rex nearly killed each other? Let me guess—the shouting match you two had earlier wasn’t enough?”

I watch the thin needle pierce my skin, feeling only a slight pinch. “That seems to be the gist of it.”

“Yeah? Anything else you want to say about it?”

“We argued, fought, and made up. That’s all there is to it.”

She shakes her head, her bun swaying from side-to-side. “You’re a man of few words, Six." Her hands move meticulously, lacing the very edges of the wound together. “And your relationship with Rex?”

“We’ve no intention of breaking it off,” I tell her somberly. “It may be hard for some to accept, but we’re in it for the long run.”

“Hmmmm,” Holiday murmurs. “What if White Knight was to find out?”

“We’ll deal with that when it happens. But I’m not terribly concerned.”

A small smile plays across her face. “Of course. I shouldn’t be surprised.”

“How so?” I gaze at her curiously.

“It’s just that…” She pauses, sighing. “Six…I want to apologize for the way I reacted earlier. Flying off the handle like that—”

“Don’t—” I give her a reassuring pat on the shoulder. “It was only natural for you to feel upset.”

“But that’s not like me at all. I just—I mean, I’ve been flirting for years without so much as a rise out of you, but when Rex all of a sudden shows some interest, you can’t jump into bed with him fast enough.” She lets out a nervous laugh. “I was kind of… _jealous_.”

I feel a twinge of pain in my chest at Holiday’s words. “I’m sorry; this is just who I am.”

She returns to work, hands shaking slightly. “I guess it was my pride that was hurt the most. Why didn’t you tell me you weren’t attracted to women? I would’ve backed off.”

“It’s not something I can just blurt out at random,” I explain. “Besides, I don’t feel it’s anyone’s business to know what I do in my personal life.”

“I see,” she muses. “I just wish you had felt like you could trust me. I always thought the two of us were pretty close.”

I turn my head, unable to look at her. All I can manage in response is a weak “Sorry.” I truly am a terrible person, having hurt my closest friends like this. I only hope Holiday can forgive me like Rex had.

I feel the tug of the needle through my flesh. Holiday sighs. “Well, I guess I can’t be too angry with you. I was the one too dense to put the pieces together. It was inevitable, after all.”

“What was?” I turn to see her staring at me with a warm smile.

“You and Rex falling for each other. I remember how indifferent you were when he first began working with us, but the two of you seemed to grow closer each day. You weren’t just partners, you were friends—family almost.” Her grin becomes wider. “I can see how much you love him. You always loved him in a way.”

I return her smile. Holiday has the uncanny knack for speaking the truth. “You’re right. I love him more now than ever. And the feeling will only grow stronger.”

“Well, Six, I’m happy for the two of you. I can’t picture Rex with a better person.” She finishes her final knot and cuts the line. After tossing out the needle and excess sutures, she tapes some gauze over the newly-stitched skin. “There, good as new. Just don’t do it again.”

“Promise,” I chuckle. I hop down from the bed and surprise her with a hug. “Thank you, Rebecca. You’re a good friend.”

“Hey, knock it off!” Holiday pushes me away, blushing. “Save the display of affection for Rex, ok? Speaking of which, you should probably go track him down before he worries himself into a stupor.”

“Right. Let’s go find him.” But before I can slide the curtain aside, Holiday stops me.

“Oh, Six, wait! One more thing—” She grabs a moist cotton ball and swabs the cut on my face before slapping a bandage on it. “Now you’re good to go. If it hurts, just have Rex kiss it better for you.”

“What’s that?” Holiday and I turn to see Rex brush past the curtain, Bobo beside him. “Am I in trouble or something?”

“Oh, no,” Holiday waves a dismissive hand. “We were just finishing up here.”

“Did you have to bring the monkey?” I ask, raising my eyebrow.

Rex shrugs. “He followed me back when I stopped for some clean clothes.”

“I wanted to see how bad he kicked your ass,” Bobo remarks. “Clearly it wasn’t bad enough.”

I’m about to grab Rex and walk out before I do something stupid, like clock Bobo in his ugly purple face, when Holiday chimes in: “You know, you two really need to treat each other better if you want this to work out.”

“Duly noted,” I reply, tugging Rex away.

“You better take good care of him, Rex,” she adds, winking. “Don’t be selfish; he needs rest and fluids, and I’m not talking about the kind of fluids that come from an injection of your hypodermic needle.”

“Whoaaaaa, Doc! TMI!” Rex holds up his hands. I groan and cover my eyes.

“Yeah, thanks for that mental image,” Bobo complains.

“Oh, and FYI, I like it better when I’m on the bot—”

“ _Rex!_ _Let’s go!_ ” I drag him from the space before he can say something even stupider. Once we’ve slowed to a walking pace, I place my good arm around his shoulder. Together, we stumble through the lab, slowly making our way to the exit. The lab techs are staring at us again, but their gaze doesn’t bother me. I glance down at Rex. “You’ll help me back to my room, right?”

“Oh, umm, sure.” He looks puzzled. “I thought you said your legs weren’t bothering you.”

“They’re not. I just want to be close to you,” I whisper. “Keep me company, OK?”

Rex smiles, wrapping his arm around me. “Whatever you want, Six. I’m all yours.”

 

I don’t even wait for the bedroom door to close before drawing him into a kiss. His soft lips yield to mine, our tongues dancing gracefully together as my fingers glide across his cheek, coming to rest in a tangle of dark hair. He moans quietly, arms wrapping around my waist. Rex’s leather gloves stick to the bare skin of my back like glue. There are far too many clothes between us.

I gently drive Rex back against the wall, lips moving south to kiss along his neck. My hands slide under his shirt, palms gliding over taut flesh. His skin prickles beneath my fingertips. He gasps as I travel upwards; my thumbs pause to turn circles over his stiff nipples. The soft touches leave Rex quivering.

“Ahnnn, Six…we should stop…your injury…”

I smirk, my hand moving to grope the bulge in his pants. “You think you’ll be able to stop?” I whisper into his ear.  I unzip his fly and slip my hand beneath the elastic of his boxers, grazing the silken skin of his shaft. His cock is already throbbing, the tip slick with precum.

“Y-yeah, sure. I’ll be alright,” he gasps. “Besides, Holiday told me not to be selfish.”

“But she didn’t say I couldn’t be selfish.” I tug on his erection, eliciting moans of pleasure from his lips. “And right now, I want to make love to you like never before.” My fingers brush against his foreskin, and I give it a playful tug before sliding a digit between it and the slick head of his cock.

“Ahh…M-me too, Six.” His breathing is ragged; he reaches down and starts to slide off his pants. I step back and allow him to undress, finding it hard to control myself as I watch his clothes come off piece by piece, revealing the delicious young body beneath them. When he’s finished, I hold out my hand to him. He places his palm in mine, and I pull him close for another kiss. Rex begins to unfasten my pants, pulling them down slowly. I shiver as the fabric grazes every sensitive inch of me.

An eternity seems to pass as Rex removes my shoes and socks and strips away the rest of my clothes. I watch intently as he kneels before me, his eyes brimming with hunger. His tongue darts out and licks the underside of my cock, from the base up to the very tip. My body shudders as the warm sensation travels up my swollen length.

“Ahhh…Rex…” His lips wrap around the head, hands gripping my hips as he pumps my cock in and out at a slow pace. I close my eyes and lose myself in the wet heat of his mouth. My hand reaches for the gauze at my shoulder, gingerly touching the wound there. Long after the stitches are removed, a scar will still remain—a memory of Rex that I’ll always carry with me. I smile and gaze down at him as he ravishes my cock. The feeling is so blissful; I could stay like this forever. But my selfish heart wants more of him.

With weighted fingertips, I gently tap his shoulder, a sign that it’s time to move on. Rex releases my cock and slowly rises to his feet. Our bodies melt together in another kiss, hot and deep. When we move apart, I take his hand and lead him over to the bed, where I sit with my back against the headboard. I position him so that he’s straddling me with his knees on either side of my legs. But before he can move to sit down, I part my lips and take him into my mouth.

Rex groans as I devour him inch by inch, taking his thickness all the way to the back of my throat. My hands knead his ass while I suck his cock, tongue swirling around the head each time I reach the peak.

“Six…ahhhn…it’s so good…” The taste of his delicately salty precum has me yearning for more; my head bobs faster, seeking the milky sweetness inside him. I feel Rex’s fingers wrap around my wrist and pull gently, drawing my hand up to his mouth. He takes two of my digits and begins sucking on them, giving them a thick coating of saliva. When he’s finished, he guides my hand down between his crack, urging me inside him. I’m more than happy to oblige.

I tease the outside of his hole, getting the tiny pucker nice and wet. Once I’m satisfied that he’s slick enough, I wriggle a finger inside, pushing in up to the knuckle. Rex jerks forward, his body stiffening. I pump in and out a few times before I slide in a second finger, working them around skillfully, bringing deep, sultry moans to my lover’s lips.

“Oh, fuck, Six…please don’t make me wait…fuck me…fuck me…”

My mouth slips from around his cock; slowly I withdraw my fingers, gazing into his reddish-brown eyes. “Get the lube.”

Rex complies, leaning over and grabbing the bottle from its place on the side table. He pours some into his palm and reaches behind him; I shiver when I feel the cold liquid hit my erection. Steadily, he lowers himself until his tight entrance begins to swallow the very tip of my cock. Soon, every inch of me is inside him, and Rex is sitting comfortably in my lap, his hips moving in careful undulations.

“Mmm, Rex…you feel amazing,” I murmur. His ass fits me like a glove; it’s so hot and wet, throbbing around me—I swear I’ve never felt anything as good. I wrap my arms around him, pressing us closer. Our mouths are drawn together like magnets, seeking out the warm pleasures held within. We kiss each other deeply, lovingly, like we’ve been together for ages.

Rex places a hand on my right shoulder, grabbing his cock with the other. “Ahhhnn…I want us to come together, Six. OK?”

I nod. “I’m close, Rex. Fuck, you’re so hot.” I pull him down, driving my cock deeper inside. Though the anesthetic Holiday had given me is beginning to wear off, the ecstasy of making love to Rex trumps any pain I may be experiencing. I’m about to explode in a wave of pure bliss.

He jerks his cock furiously, moaning loudly into my ear. “Six…I feel it… _aaahhnn_ …I’m cumming!”

His ass pulses intensely; drawing Rex’s body closer, I erupt inside him, squeezing him tightly. Seconds later, I hear Rex groan and feel the warm splash of semen hit my abdomen. Our bodies tremble in synch, our hearts racing and lungs burning. As I gasp for air, my lips find Rex’s, and I press against them in a long kiss. When I pull away, my mouth feels strangely lonely.

We sit like that for some time, struggling to breathe normally, our foreheads touching. Finally, Rex lifts his head and, wiping the sweat from his face, remarks, “Wow…that was…”

“I know…” I pant, licking salt and saliva from my lips. “I’ve never…felt this way…before.”

Rex smiles warmly, his fingers brushing the bandage on my cheek. “Icy taro, Six.”

“Hmm?”

“What you said earlier,” he explains. “Icy taro?”

I laugh and give him a quick peck on the cheek. “ _Aishiteru_ , Rex. _Watashi wa anata no koto o kotoba ni dekinai hodo fukaku aishiteru._ ” _I love you more deeply than I can say._

“ _Te amo_ ,” he replies, grinning. “And what you just said, times a thousand.” He leans in for another kiss.

I close my eyes and fade into the warmth of his body and heart. In the tranquility of that room, in the arms of my lover, I make a vow to always hold close the ones that truly bring me happiness. Our enduring embrace will be a promise of the future we’ll share together.

_Whether for good or ill, our fates will follow the same path._

No matter what this world may have in store for us.

 

[[“Aishiteru” – end]]


End file.
